Here's How To Get Around During A, C, E Train Work This Weekend

NEW YORK, NY — Straphangers who rely on the A, C and E line to get around the city will need to make some changes this weekend as transit officials begin signal repairs at some of Manhattan's busiest stations.

All three subway lines will not service stations between Columbus Circle and Washington Square Park from 11:45 p.m. Friday, March 13 until 5 a.m. Monday, March 16 during construction on century-old signals that have been causing delays in that swath of the system, officials said.

The service cut means that the trains won't be available at 50th Street, 42nd Street Port Authority Bus Terminal, 34th Street Penn Station, 23rd Street and 14th Street-Eighth Avenue stations for the whole weekend. E trains will also not be stopping at Court Square in Queens, Lexington Avenue/53rd Street, Fifth Avenue/53rd Street and Seventh Avenue.

It comes as the MTA plans a sweeping $245.8-million signal upgrade on the A, C and E line. The construction will include quick fixes to signals and preparations for the larger upgrade.

"We’re working to fully modernize our signaling across the entire subway network, but in the meantime we have to make targeted fixes to eliminate some trouble spots," the MTA said in an informational video.

The MTA decided to fix signals on this part of the subway after there was a 126 percent increase in signal problems between 2018 and 2019, officials said. More than 200 trains were delayed last year at West 4th Street station alone, according to the MTA.

Here's how the trains will run during the construction:

A train:

• 207th Street to 59th Street: Normal service
• 59th Street to West 4th Street: Via the D line, stopping at 23rd Street and 14th Street
• To Brooklyn and Queens: Via the C line to Euclid Avenue and to the Rockaways in both directions.

E train:

• Between Jamaica Center and Queens Plaza: Via the R in both directions to/from Whitehall Street as the last stop.

C trains — no service

M trains

• 168th street to Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn: Replaces the C on Central Park West

Shuttles

• Free buses between Court Square and Queens Plaza.

For a full overview of the work and travel suggestions for alternate routes, click here.