Brooklyn's R train riders are set to face a commuting challenge as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announces significant service disruptions to occur in January. According to information disclosed by state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and reported by Gothamist, the R line will not operate late-night between the 36th Street and 95th Street stations due to necessary structural maintenance.
These disruptions will affect the first two weekends of January – specifically from January 3-6 and January 10-13. Services will be halted from 11:30 p.m. on Fridays until 5:30 a.m. on Mondays. Sen. Gounardes relayed the information through a post on X, saying, "My office has received notice that R line service between the 36th St and 95th St stations will be suspended January 3 – 6 and January 10 – 13 from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5:30 a.m. Monday".
My office has received notice that R line service between the 36th St and 95th St stations will be suspended January 3 – 6 and January 10 – 13 from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5:30 a.m. Monday. Free shuttle buses will make all R line stops between 36th St and 95th St. pic.twitter.com/LEFXmELZAR
— Senator Andrew Gounardes (@Sen_Gounardes) January 2, 2025
To mitigate the impact of these outages on commuters, commuters, the MTA will provide free shuttle buses that will cover the affected R line stops. Commuters are encouraged to plan accordingly by using these shuttles or seeking alternative transit routes. For those traveling to or from the 45th and 53rd Street stations, a viable alternative would be to take the Coney Island-bound trains.
Moreover, individuals needing to reach the 59th Street station should transfer to the N train as part of their journey. Additional transfer options are being highlighted at key stations such as Atlantic Avenue and 36th Street offering alternatives during this service interruption. The MTA's strategy aims to minimize inconvenience while allowing for the necessary maintenance to ensure the structural health of the transit system.
