Weekday Train Service Resumes On Time and Under Budget With Infrastructure Upgrades To Provide More Dependable Service for 125,000 Residents in the Rockaways
Rehabilitation Project Ensures Future Storm Protection to the Line for Decades
View B-Roll of Governor Hochul and Chair Lieber’s Train Ride; View Time-Lapse Video and B-Roll of Project
View ‘Before’ and ‘After’ Photos of Rehabilitation Work; View Photos of Construction During 17-Week Rehabilitation Project
View Video of News Conference; View Photos of News Conference and Governor Hochul and Chair Lieber’s Train Ride
Governor Kathy Hochul and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) leaders today welcomed back Rockaway subway riders as service resumed to the Rockaway Peninsula after the line underwent critical resiliency and rehabilitation work. The Rockaway Line, which carries the trains, is the critical connection between the Rockaway peninsula and the rest of New York City, serving nearly 12,500 Rockaway riders daily and connecting a diverse population of almost 125,000 residents. The project, which continues, is on time and under budget.
MTA Construction & Development carried out a complete reconstruction of Hammels Wye, an elevated structure that all trains must cross to reach the peninsula. The South Channel Bridge, which must swing open to allow for marine traffic to cross Jamaica Bay, also underwent an overhaul to update its aging electrical and mechanical components which previously were often the source of significant delays in train service. Both structures are more than 65 years old, and their completed overhaul ensures Rockaway residents can continue to depend on reliable service on the line for decades to come.
"The train is a key artery of New York City, stretching all the way from Inwood to the ocean, and for residents of the Rockaways, it is a critical lifeline," Governor Hochul said. "That's why we made a promise to this community that we would get the A train back in service by Memorial Day. Today, we deliver on that promise, bringing reliable service to the line that riders will be able to count on for decades."
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “The Rockaway project reflects what the new MTA is doing — delivering capital work on-time and on-budget with minimal impacts to customers and maximum benefit. The line is now fully rebuilt and better prepared to withstand the extreme conditions we are facing in the age of climate change.”
MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, "Projects like this are what the new MTA is all about: delivering transformational projects better, faster, and cheaper than ever before. After 17 weeks of 20-hour shifts through the heart of a New York City winter, we're proud to deliver generations of great public transit to the Rockaways — on time and on budget."
New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said, “We promised customers excellent alternative service during this project, and I’m proud to say the New York City Transit team delivered, ensuring Rockaway riders continued to get where they needed to go the past four months. Completing this project means more reliable and resilient service to the Rockaways for decades into the future, and with further investment in new CBTC signals to come, things will only get better for train riders.”
Following extensive damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, emergency work to repair the Rockaway Line was completed in subsequent months. However, many components of the critical line are over 65 years old and required extensive overhauls to weather the effects of increasingly intense storms, flooding, and climate change. The viaduct and bridge connecting the Rockaway Peninsula with the rest of Queens needed comprehensive rehabilitation and repair work to ensure these structures withstand future extreme weather events, which required a 17-week 24/7 shutdown this winter. Through two 10 hour shifts, 200 construction workers worked 20 hours a day on both weekdays and weekends to complete this portion of the project on time.
Additional work on the Rockaway Line Resiliency and Rehabilitation Project, including structural repairs, new interlocking infrastructure, and a new signal tower will take place during future weekend outages. The entire project is expected to be complete by late 2026.
Hammels Wye
All trains to the peninsula must cross Hammels Wye, an elevated structure that allows for service to split between west-bound to Rockaway Park and east-bound to Far Rockaway. Decades of exposure to the elements have caused significant wear and tear to the structure requiring it to be completely reconstructed. The new structure is comprised of 250 tons of steel, 1,600 feet of reconstructed structure rail, 37 steel girders, 700 concrete ties, and 856 tons of stone ballast. All signals and power systems were fully modernized and rebuilt enabling this section of the line to be made Communication-Based Train Control equipped in the future. This includes 2,340 feet of tractions power cable, 8,000 feet of signal cable, and a new track switch.
South Channel Bridge
Another critical passage all trains traverse to the peninsula is the South Channel Bridge, which must swing open to allow boats to cross Jamaica Bay. Aging mechanical and electrical infrastructure caused delays in returning the bridge to its closed position resulting in service disruptions to the Rockaway line. MTA Construction & Development capitalized on the time needed to repair Hammels Wye to completely overhaul the electrical and mechanical components of the bridge. This will provide more dependable functionality and ensure more reliable service for train riders for decades.
Additional Resiliency Work
Other components of the Rockaway Line Resiliency and Rehabilitation project included building 12 foot high, 900-foot-long wave barriers along the tracks to protect against coastal storm surges and can withstand future Superstorm Sandy-like strength storms. The height of the wave barriers was determined by future storm surge maps with additional feet added to ensure maximal protection. Debris washed onto the tracks was a major source of damage during Superstorm Sandy. Now the tracks are protected by newly built debris shields that will prevent debris from washing onto the tracks. Additional resiliency efforts also included repairs to the Rockaway Viaduct and fortifications to embankments washed out by Superstorm Sandy. Large boulders and rocks, known as riprap were installed at the base of the tracks to prevent erosion from both daily tides and storm surge. Riprap also serves to prevent water incursion into infrastructure.
New York City Transit Alternative Service Operation
During the suspension of and train service, New York City Transit (NYCT) ran a robust service alternative operation to ensure riders got where they needed to go.
Led by Rockaways Service Lead Hugo Zamora, NYCT ran a fare-free shuttle train that served all stations on the peninsula between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park. The shuttle had an on-time performance of 100 percent for 67 days and over 90 percent for 45 days. Over 100 free shuttle buses ran in place of the A train with the Q97 delivering nonstop trips between Howard Beach — JFK Airport and Far Rockaway-Mott Av and the Q109 running between Howard Beach-JFK Airport and Beach 67 St. Select QM15 buses were extended and QM16 and QM17s made additional peak trips. The Long Island Rail Road also offered heavily discounted fares at Far Rockaway Station.
Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato said, “We’re back and better than before! The train and Rockaway Shuttle serve as a lifeline for our community and after this 5-month construction we have rebuilt and upgraded our trains infrastructure to ensure reliable service for years to come! Our entire community applauds the MTA for their diligent work and thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to our transportation needs in Rockaway and South Queens. All that’s left to say is — all aboard.”
Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson said, “Rockaway, we have an train! For months, my neighbors pushed through snow with baby strollers, walkers, and more — commuting to school, work, home, and leisure. The shutdown brought major adjustments to our daily routines, from shuttle buses to the shuttle train. Now, the A train is finally back — and hopefully running on time! I'm proud to have successfully advocated for accommodations and enhanced services during the outage — improvements I hope the MTA continues, including the expanded express bus service for Rockaway residents. With updated signals and track work completed, we're witnessing a significant milestone: the return of full accessibility to the Rockaways. Resilience has always been the backbone of our community, especially as we recovered from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. The restoration of train service is a testament to our ongoing commitment to resilience, sustainability, and efficiency — values our Rockaway Peninsula community truly deserves. Let’s continue to celebrate this progress!”
New York City Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers said, “I’m thrilled to welcome the return of A train service to the Rockaways. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul, MTA Chair Janno Lieber and New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow for ensuring this critical repair work was completed on time. My office worked closely with transit officials and my fellow elected leaders to elevate rider concerns and improve bus service during the outage. The restoration of full A train service is a win for our community, and I’ll continue fighting for reliable, resilient transit in the Rockaways and across our city.”