Those doomed souls who depend on the L train to access the many opportunities of Manhattan are coming around to a majority opinion on their collective connundrum: A full 77 percent of commuters on the line would rather see a complete, 18-month shutdown versus a three-year, partial shutdown with limited service, according to a new poll.
The advocacy group the Riders Alliance surveyed 350 New Yorkers among the 400,000 or so who ride the L train every day. But the results probably sound like good news to the MTA, which is also leaning toward the complete-shutdown option (otherwise known as “Plan A”). The agency says a total closure will make the repair work on the line, which was damaged by Hurricane Sandy, more efficient: Crews will have total access to the tunnel, and the MTA can provide incentives for early completion. The MTA hasn’t made a final decision yet, and the agency is getting feedback from riders at public hearings all this month.
Construction begins for either plan in January 2019, so the freak-out over the L train debacle might end up lasting longer than either shutdown proposal.
