Manhattan-bound J trains have been skipping four Brooklyn stops during weekday middays, turning what used to be quick trips into hour-long odysseys for some riders. The tweak has locals fuming and scrambling for longer transfers or bus detours just to get into Manhattan.
The adjustment, which sends Manhattan-bound J trains past Chauncey Street, Halsey Street, Gates Avenue and Kosciuszko Street from about 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays, is part of a track-replacement program that began in early March and is expected to run through the third quarter of 2026, according to Brooklyn Community Board 4. The community board’s notice also flags crane locations, lane restrictions and staged materials as crews work along the elevated Broadway corridor.
What the MTA says
In a statement to New York Post, MTA spokesman Aaron Shavel said the work is necessary, adding that “sometimes it’s simply unavoidable” and that the agency’s “goal is to minimize the impact on as many people as possible.” He said crews are sequencing work and staging equipment to limit disruptions during heavy travel periods.
Alternatives and weekend impacts
Notices advise riders who need Manhattan service to transfer at Broadway Junction to the A or C trains (or use the L via connecting stations), or to take a Jamaica Center bound J to Myrtle Avenue and switch. Free shuttle buses will run between Broadway Junction and Marcy Avenue during full suspensions, the community board says.
MTA MTA planned service materials reflect this split J pattern, and Hoodline previously flagged that the J line will operate in two sections. Separately, the MTA has announced major weekend shutdowns on parts of the G line this summer for signal modernization, which could further squeeze crosstown options across Brooklyn and Queens, per the MTA and reporting from 6sqft.
Why riders are angry
Riders told New York Post that trips that once took about 30 minutes are now stretching to an hour, and that having to ride past their stations to Broadway Junction and then back adds both time and stress. Local leaders and business groups have pushed back on recurring summer closures, particularly repeated G line weekend work, saying the pattern hurts neighborhood commerce and mobility.
The MTA says the upgrades will improve long term reliability, but for now straphangers are being told to check apps, allow extra travel time and plan transfers around the midday work window. We will continue to track schedule changes and community reaction as the project moves through the summer.
