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Published on January 17, 2025
Rockaway Commuters Brace for Challenges as A Train Service Suspends for Four-Month Sandy RepairsSource: Wikipedia/Harrison Leong, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rockaway residents are preparing for a significant disruption to their daily commute as the A train service comes to a halt this Friday. This suspension, implemented by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), affects a 5-mile stretch in the Rockaways, forcing a four-month pause on service between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and the last stops along the line. The Rockaway Park Shuttle will also cease its connection between Broad Channel and Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street, leaving about 9,000 commuters per day seeking alternative routes, according to ABC7NY.

While some Rockaway residents who rely on the A train for their day-to-day activities are facing stressful adjustments, the MTA has commenced work on repairing and reinforcing the damaged infrastructure caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Although the post-storm cleanup appeared to restore service temporarily, the line still suffers vulnerabilities that the MTA intends to address to better withstand future extreme weather events. Janno Lieber, MTA CEO, highlighted the significance of the work, stating, "This project is literally taking that narrow causeway from Broad Channel back to the mainland of Queens, and redoing the structure of that little narrow causeway and the track," as per ABC7NY’s report.

The suspension introduces a daunting challenge for daily travelers like Far Rockaway resident Gail Romain, who voiced her concerns to NY1, describing an expected increase in her two-hour commute to the Bronx by an extra hour. "It’s very upsetting," she said, worried not only for herself but also for her younger relatives' school attendance. Similarly, Jahnoi Crawford, a local who works at JFK Airport and is now considering costly Uber rides, expressed his frustrations, saying, "It’s been very frustrating to think about."

In response to the shutdown, the MTA has laid out several alternative transportation options. Reduced fares on the Long Island Rail Road and free shuttle bus services, including the Q97 Nonstop connecting Howard Beach-JFK to Beach 97th Street, are set to bridge the gap for displaced riders. The NYC Ferry has also pledged to boost its capacity on the Rockaway route to help mitigate the impact of the suspended train service. Meanwhile, some residents like health care worker Funmilayo Balogun, who commutes to Brooklyn and is affected by the shutdown, are finding a silver lining. "Prevention is better than cure, you know," she said, appreciating the MTA's long-term investment in the A train's stability, as reported by NY1.