On Sunday, Feb. 26, renovations on the 75th Street-Elderts Lane station platform in Woodhaven will begin, announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
On Monday, February 13th, at Borough Hall in Queens, Lucille Songhai from the MTA joined the Community Board 9 meeting to announce the upcoming renewal project for the Gramercy station. Danielle Verdecchia, the project manager for JV PJS contractor, is also part of the team.
Starting on Monday, Feb. 27, trains going towards Queens will no longer stop at 75 St-Elderts Lane. Customers can still use the station, but they will have to transfer at the next station and take the J train back to 75th Street. The MTA has announced that renovations on the platform going towards Manhattan will start in late summer. Once the 75th Street station is completed, work will begin on the Queens-bound side of the 85 St-Forest Parkway station in the late winter of 2024. Additionally, renovations on the platform going towards Manhattan will occur in the summer of 2024.
According to Verdecchia, the project will align with the current ADA installation work being carried out at Woodhaven Boulevard bypasses.
Verdecchia stated, “the plumbing systems have been upgraded and the lighting conditions have been improved, the communication systems have been upgraded, the installation of Designs and Arts MTA has been upgraded, and architectural components have been improved, such as incorporating new structural improvements. The work is being conducted in a good state of repair in a state of good repair.”
According to Verdecchia, the construction endeavor aims to enhance and prolong the stations’ lifespan for the next 25 years. Additionally, it involves revitalizing the platform elements such as installing detectable warning strips along the platform edges, reducing gaps between trains and platforms, substituting the stairs connecting the mezzanine to the platform level, and improving lighting by replacing the current fixtures.
In response to the renewal project of the Community Board 9 member, the question of where the MTA’s equipment will be stored along Jamaica Avenue, an area plagued by double-parked cars and illegal parking on the street, has been raised.
The station renewal projects will be executed in stages, Songhai assured the board, and they have already consulted with business proprietors on 75th Street regarding the procedure.
“We have informed them about the locations of barricades and designated parking areas,” Songhai stated.
The duration of the project will ensure continued access to deliveries and vital services. Pedestrians and patrons will receive information through signs in multiple languages placed near barriers and the construction area, indicating that stores are available for business.
“Songhai mentioned that the agency has made a consistent effort to install elevators throughout the system, aiming to enhance accessibility for customers. In response to a question about constructing elevators at the station, Songhai stated that the MTA will focus on installing elevators in the future.”
The MTA also has additional plans to address environmental mitigation concerns and ensure the safety of the community during the renovation process by performing work and constructing protective stations above-ground.
The typical working hours for the project will be from 4 p.M. To 6:30 a.M., Friday through Monday, in order to minimize the impact on local vendors, businesses, and pedestrian safety, contractors and the MTA will ensure that the renovation process takes place during these hours.
