One of the most overcrowded subway stations in the borough is getting a $61 million facelift, which the MTA says will improve the passenger experience.
Work is currently underway on eight new staircases at the Flushing-Main Street Station which aims to address congestion on the 7 train platforms and at street levels during peak travel hours.
“Flushing-Main-St Station is one of the top ten busiest stations in our entire subway system, and it is time its infrastructure supported that reality,” MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said in a press release. “Soon our passengers will be able to travel through this station more easily and comfortably.”
The project includes four new street-to-mezzanine stairs, in addition to four new mezzanine-to-platform stairs.
The new street-to-mezzanine stairs will be installed on the north and south corners of Main Street and to the west of Main Street along both the north and south sides of Roosevelt Avenue.
Four existing street stairs will also be rehabilitated for ADA compliance and four existing platform stairs will be reoriented.
The project will also expand the mezzanine and install two new fare control areas with six new turnstiles that will be constructed. Existing CCTV cameras and signage will also be upgraded and improved.
Councilwoman Sandra Ung said that now that Con Edison has finished relocating the existing utilities, the cost of which was included in the estimated $61 million expense, contractors are ready to start the work to improve pedestrian flow and reduce congestion in earnest.
“This is a big project for Flushing, and my office will keep you updated on the work hours and progress, but if you are a regular user of the Main Street station, be advised there could be some disruptions to your daily commute for the foreseeable future,” Ung said in a newsletter. “But in the end, hopefully, we will have smooth-flowing entrances to the busy station.”
Construction will only occur within the station during off-peak hours between the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
However, the contractor is permitted to work during off-peak hours during the day (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and in the evening (8 p.m. to 5 a.m.). Additionally, the contractor is permitted to work during the day on weekends.
In the meantime, Q48 and Q50 bus stops will be temporarily relocated to the intersection of Main Street and 39th Avenue in front of the GNC until approximately March 1, 2023.
“These improvements will greatly enhance the customer experience traveling in one of New York’s most vibrant neighborhoods,” MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said in a statement. “These eight new staircases will alleviate overcrowding on the platform and street level and ensure passengers can better move through the station.”
A substantial portion of the project is expected to be completed by October 2023.
Full access to a minimum of four street-level stairwells will be maintained in the mezzanine areas during the construction. Access to the four stairs that serve the northbound and southbound platforms from mezzanine areas will also be maintained at all times.
MTA indicated that it is working closely with City agencies and local stakeholders to mitigate impacts on the local community. Signs reminding pedestrians that businesses remain open will be posted.
Members of the public wishing to express concerns and raise issues will be able to contact at 24/7 construction hotline, 844-508-2636 for the duration of the project.
