Preparing for the Worst with L Maintenance In Brooklyn

As the MTA repairs Hurricane Sandy-related damage to train transit, advocates look for solution to a coming transit crunch.

1 minute read

November 25, 2016, 11:00 AM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


New York Subway

Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock

2019 will see a major renovation of the L Train between Manhattan and Brooklyn. The train line is going to be shut down for 18 months. "In the ongoing absence of a formal havoc mitigation plan from the MTA and New York City’s transportation department (that will be released by January 2018, at the latest, according to the MTA) transit advocates have been working overtime to come up with ideas of their own," according to a Dana Rubinstein story for Politico. Among their suggestions are ways to bolster bus travel, like providing dedicated lanes for the buses that would see added ridership during the construction.

The heavily used train line is in need of maintenance to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. "Every weekday, 225,000 New Yorkers travel between Manhattan and Brooklyn using the L line," Rubinstein reports. 

Tuesday, November 15, 2016 in Politico

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Color-coded map of labor & delivery departments and losses in United States.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace

In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.

7 hours ago - Maine Morning Star

Street scene in Kathmandu, Nepal with yellow minibuses and other traffic.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs

Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

June 15 - Fast Company

Bike lane in Washington D.C. protected by low concrete barriers.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint

Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.

June 15 - The Washington Post