USA: New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on August 2 that the 42 St Shuttle metro line in Manhattan is to be modernised. Work is due to begin on August 16 and end in 2022, with no interruptions to service.
Opened in 1904, the 42 St Shuttle connects Grand Central Terminal with 42 St-Times Square. MTA says that these are the two busiest Subway stations, and that the shuttle carries 100 000 passengers a day.
Work to improve accessibility and increase capacity includes replacing the signalling and upgrading the power supply. The 42 St-Times Square terminus will be reconfigured from three curved tracks to two straight tracks to eliminate large platform gaps, and a new station entrance is to be built.
At Grand Central the platforms will be reconfigured into one island platform. Platforms at both termini will be extended to enable the lengthening of trains from four to six cars.
