NYC Transit announced plans in December to permanently halve the G-line —cutting service to thirteen stations in Queens north of Court Street — as well as to re-route and reduce F-train service in order to accommodate the new Queens-Manhattan V-line and the opening of the recently completed 63rd Street subway tunnel under the East River (MTR #296).  The agency had been scheduled to approve these changes at an NYC Transit committee meeting last Thursday, but has postponed the meeting and vote until May 24 in order to review the community proposal.

The community plan, developed by the Noble Street Block Association & Friends and the Queens Civic Congress, would revise Transit’s V-train proposal by maintaining existing G and R service, while routing V-trains through the 63^rd Street tunnel and using the now-dormant N and R express tracks under Broadway. F service would stay in the 53^rd Street tunnel, maintaining key transfers at Queens Plaza and to the G-train and Lexington Avenue line.

A possible sticking point is that the community proposal would require additional rolling stock:  17 more trains than the 110 currently used by the five lines during the AM peak and 13 more than the NYCT proposal.  NYC Transit expects to receive 212 new subway cars over the next two years intended in large part to serve the 63rd Street tunnel improvements.  Also, the 1,130 new subway cars slated for purchase under the MTA next five-year capital program will result in 150 additionally available IRT cars and 53 more IND cars.  Re-routing plans are also expected to be on the agenda at the next MTA board meeting on May 30th where a final decision may be made.

The virtual closure of Grand Street Station in Chinatown and other service changes resulting from the next phase of Manhattan Bridge repair are not on the agenda for NYC Transit’s May 24th meeting.  NYC Transit is not required to hold hearings or a committee or board vote on these changes because they are not permanent, even though repair is expected to last at least four years (MTR #311, 314).

The Grand Coalition, a well-organized alliance of Chinatown and Sunset Park civic groups, is demanding supplementary bus and subway services to lessen the economic and community impact of the station closure.  Specifically, the coalition has asked for 24-hour M line service along the B line in Brooklyn into Manhattan and improvements to the M Bowery station that would make it safe and accessible at all times and increased bus service on the B51 and other express routes between the two boroughs.  Also, they want the planned 6th Avenue line shuttle service between Grand St. and Broadway-Lafayette expanded to W. 4th St. or 34th St. where many Chinatown residents are employed.

The Coalition has gained allies in Public Advocate and mayoral candidate Mark Green and City Councilwoman and public advocate candidate Kathryn Freed.  However, although NYC Transit has agreed to requests to run shuttle buses between the Grand Street and Canal Street stations in Chinatown and is considering additional bus shuttle service stops throughout the neighborhood and lower East Side, the agency has remained cool to the coalition’s central requests.