New York MTA emergency board meeting will result in Jan. 24 vote on the L-train’s future NEWSWIRE

NEW YORK — New Yorkers are a hearty group; bad hurricanes, horrible weather, monster traffic delays, commuter transit nightmares and even local restaurant closings are usually dealt with mild invective and a shrug, but L-train reconstruction has riders using stronger invectives as involuntary changes re-shape their lives, possibly the next two years.

There was an old plan, projected for 15 to 20 months duration starting Apr. 27 which would mean a total line shutdown, and a new plan, with partial evening and weekend shutdowns, which may take longer.

On Tuesday, the MTA held an emergency board meeting to brief members and the public on matters related to the train rehabilitation that will affect 300,000 daily riders on the 10-mile line that connects Brooklyn and Manhattan. At the meeting, WSP, the project designers in charge of the rehabilitation, presented its new plan and recommendations for rehabilitating the train tunnel.

The biggest news at the meeting? Acting MTA Chairman Fernando Ferrer announced project responsibility for this reconstruction would shift from transit authority President Andy Byford to MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber, who will take responsibility for the reconstruction. MTA Managing Director Veronique Hakim who will be directly responsible for project supervision. Byford’s task will be to oversee operation of the line, not the reconstruction.

During the four-hour meeting, the New York Daily News reported what will
happen during the new plan was a major point of discussion. The MTA board members present discussed with engineers from WSP questions about the effectiveness and safety of the new approach — issues that WSP officials said can be addressed.

It was also announced the transit authority will launch a review of its contracting and design process and policy of requesting designs as “replace in kind,” rather than requesting improvements, innovation, and new technology; the latter would mean greater expense over the course of a project.

MTA Acting Chair Ferrer said: “Given the new approach to the rehabilitation of the tunnel, I am asking the highest levels of MTA management to oversee this project and engage an independent consultant to report to the board and to validate the safety and longevity of the work.”

The MTA Board is expected to vote on Thursday, Jan. 24, to decide which plan to proceed on.