MTA wants to fix Queens stations to address citywide bottleneck issues
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The Jamaica Center-Parsons Boulevard train station is included in an MTA report related to addressing bottlenecks systemwide. Wikimedia Commons Photo by Tdorante10
By Ryan Schwach
The MTA says it needs to make changes to two Queens stations in order to address major bottleneck issues centered in Brooklyn.
The Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard and Jamaica Center-Parsons Boulevard Stations are included in a report the MTA released on Wednesday detailing its plans to fix two massive bottlenecks holding up the city’s train service.
Both stations serve as a terminus, making them the starting point for delays, the MTA said.
The Astoria-Ditmars stop is the terminus of the N and W lines in Queens, and the large Jamaica Center-Parsons Blvd. is the eastern end of the E line.
Terminals can be where issues begin for train routes, with slow moving trains potentially contributing to the main bottlenecks the MTA wants to address at DeKalb Avenue and the Nostrand Junction in Brooklyn.
“Track layout of some of our terminals forces trains to slowly enter and leave, limiting the terminal’s capacity,” the report read.
The report cited Jamaica and Astoria as having “limited terminal capacity.”
The MTA lists the Astoria project as having “high” capital cost, and the Jamaica work as having “medium” cost.
Issues at both stations contribute to late arrivals for 11 to 20 trains on an average weekday.
“By easing these constraints, we can reduce congestion around terminals and ensure that the trains leaving terminals are punctual—helping ensure riders receive reliable service,” the report read. “Issues at terminals can potentially be fixed through operational changes, or with capital projects that upgrade track layouts to allow trains to enter and leave the terminal station faster.”
The MTA’s report also listed potential projects at the Broad Channel, Howard Beach-JFK Airport, Forest Hills-71 Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard Stations, but did not cite them as priorities.
