Compliant Riders Cruise On The 7

It’s been more than a year of construction and many 7 train riders are becoming indifferent to the constant delays. Since late 2013, there have been 26 scheduled weekend service disruptions due to construction, according to the MTA. One Flushing resident, John Szeto, is used to the delays.

“It’s no surprise,” he said. “If I knew what was happening, I could reroute myself. Sometimes they will make announcements when the PA system works and sometimes they don’t.”

The service disruptions are usually scheduled over the entire weekends. Often huge spans of the line are completely closed. The work has three major objectives: to replace extremely old signals with computerized signals, to perform track and infrastructure maintenance and to restore and fortify the Steinway Tubes. The work to replace the signal system is estimated to last until 2017, according to the MTA.

“It’s very frustrating the construction,” said Errolyn Hazzell, a regular 7 rider. “You go to the website and it says it’s good. You get to the station and it’s a different story.”

The story of the 7 leaves riders wondering, what new construction lies ahead and what alternative routes they can use.

Bumpy Ride For The 7 Since 2007

7 Train Dependency

Flushing residents rely heavily on the 7 train. From February 1 until February 7, Main Street station, which is the beginning of the 7 line, had almost 87,000 swipes from riders who have a monthly MetroCard and 76,000 swipes from riders paying full fare, according to MTA data. But what if the 7 train did not exist? Below is a map showcasing different routes Flushing residents could take to 42nd Street and 8th Avenue if the 7 train vanished. But what are the cost and time differences from the usual route of the 7? Check below the map for those answers.

Well biking is free, especially if you have a bike. However, that ride would take an hour and four minutes, according to Google Maps. Driving would take 57 minutes during 7:00 p.m. traffic if you went over the Ed Koch Bridge as opposed to paying the toll, says Google Maps. Gas at a Mobile station in Flushing by the Main Street station is $2.90. Depending on the type of car you have, the 24 mile ride there and back might be costly. The Long Island Railroad is a smooth 23 minute ride, according to the MTA. However, the LIRR currently only goes to 34th Street. If your destination is 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, you would have to walk an extra 14 minutes or take the subway for an additional $2.50. The price of a railroad ticket is $9.50 during peak hours and $7.00 during non-peak hours. The choice is yours for now.