MANHATTAN — Two subway stations along the F and M lines in Manhattan will receive overhauls as part of the governor's plan to “modernize and fundamentally transform” the city’s subway system — meaning the stations could be shut down completely for short periods, the MTA said.
The 23rd Street F and M train station and the 57th Street F train station are on the list of 30 throughout the five boroughs that will be “completely renewed” according to the MTA’s new design guidelines, which are meant to improve the stations’ appearance and navigability, the transit authority said.
An MTA spokesman said it was too soon to say if the planned work would require shutdowns at either station, but noted the work would probably involve fully closing stations for a short time, rather than doing “endless rounds of weekend closures.”
It was too early to say when the potential closures would occur.
The majority of redesign work will be finished by 2018, and all 30 stations will be fully revamped by 2020, the MTA said.
“These cleaner, brighter stations will be easier to navigate, with better and more intuitive wayfinding, as well as a modernized look and feel,” the agency said in a statement.
Commuters will also have access to Wi-Fi in all of the MTA’s underground subway stations by the end of the year, as well as cell phone service by the end of 2017, according to the MTA.
A total of 600 subway cars and 1,500 buses will also be equipped with Wi-Fi hotspots, USB charging ports for mobile devices by 2018.
The MTA also plans to provide arrival time data through its SubwayTime app for all of its 469 subway stations, install subway platform countdown clocks on the lettered lines and the 7 line and roll out more “On The Go Travel Stations” on its platforms.
“The MTA is absolutely vital to the daily functioning of New York City, but for too long it has failed to meet the region’s growing size and strength,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. “This is about doing more than just repair and maintain — this is thinking bigger and better and building the 21st century transit system New Yorkers deserve.”
