Closure Averted, New York's L Train Repairs Also Finish Under Budget, Ahead of Schedule

"The MTA’s dreaded repairs to the L train’s East River tunnel were completed ahead of schedule, despite the coronavirus pandemic," reports Caroline Spivack. 

The news came in an announcement by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday, April 26. The governor caused a stir in back in January 2019 with last minute changes for plans to shut down the L Train between Brooklyn and Manhattan to repairs fix damages caused by Superstorm Sandy. Spivack explains more about what the project has accomplished in wrapping up repair work ahead of schedule.

Work on the Hurricane Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel was initially scheduled to wrap up in July 2020 at the earliest to the tune of $500 million, but MTA officials said last year that the rehab was going so well that they expected to wrap up work by April. Transit officials say the project is being finished for nearly $100 million less than the original price tag.

The news about a transit project outperforming expectations in New York City is a notable change from years of delays and record costs. The worst effects of the once-dreaded L Train closure also seem to have been avoided.