By Joseph Morales

  The J and Z trains(Jamaica Line) is an important line in the NYC Subway System. They are among the primary routes connecting some of Brooklyn’s busiest neighborhoods such as Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick and Williamsburg to each other and Manhattan. In addition, the line travels into Queens, also serving densely populated communities along Jamaica Ave. Also, the Jamaica Line serves the Broadway Junction/East New York and Downtown Jamaica Commuter Hubs, which provide riders a plethora of connections for travel across the NY Region. As a result of these factors, the Jamaica Line serves over 62,000 riders daily.

                 The Jamaica Line is still such a critical link despite it being one of the oldest in the entire subway system with its first trains running in 1885. This has led to the line needing critical infrastructure repairs to keep it up and running for the long haul. 

               Hence, this is why the MTA is currently working on a significant project in order to upgrade the infrastructure on the Jamaica Line. The work will address key line components and will keep them functioning at a high level for many years to come. In addition, the work should play a role in reducing unexpected delays due to infrastructure failures upon completion. 

                One area the MTA is addressing is overcoat painting issues.  While the MTA’s project description does not explicitly state what’s being fixed, its significance runs beyond the aesthetics of the line’s elevated structure. Coatings are important for railroads as they help to protect them from damage through corrosion, old age and more. The website from the coating company Grand PolyCoats even wrote on its blog that coatings were “essential for preserving the longevity and appearance of the railway infrastructure.” As was stated, the new painting will also provide the elevated line with a slight glow up. Though overcoating benefits likely vary by project, it is almost certain that this nearly 140-year old train corridor is set to reap significant benefits.

                  In addition to the overcoat painting, the MTA is also performing priority steel repairs. These are important for obvious reasons as steel forms most of the critical structures supporting the rail line. It is not clear exactly what the repairs entail but the history of defects with the steel sheds light as to what may need to be done. In April 2013, former MTA Inspector General Barry L. Kluger wrote a report on improving structural conditions of subway lines. In the report, he indicated that many Jamaica Line structures including steel supports were not inspected on a regular basis. While nothing indicated that the structures were in dangerous condition, the report claimed that overlooked defects could have led to serious structural issues. These are likely issues that could have led to service disruptions and larger, more impactful projects having to occur. 

                  Thankfully, not only is the MTA now turning the course on improving the Jamaica Line conditions, but it is taking a major recommendation from the former IG that will help increase the efficiency of the repairs. This is known as project bundling, which combines similar projects in contracts to save time and money. In 2018, the MTA completed $1 billion worth of station improvements over 20 contracts. In 2023, the agency completed 40% more work in half the number of contracts. This made work easier for the MTA as they had less contractors to manage, helping them to a year where capital projects were 6.2% less than estimated, saving the MTA almost $300 million. For the Jamaica Line, both the painting and steel repairs are part of a contract bundle with $80.5M dedicated to the project.

                 With congestion pricing on hold, money-saving methods like this are essential to ensuring critical state of good repair projects are done in an affordable manner. In case you’re wondering, this project is moving forward as it is likely being prioritized for being a state of good repair project. The project is 5% complete and is expected to be done by March 2026 according to the MTA’s Capital Plan Dashboard.

                   Quality infrastructure is critical to subway service running quickly and reliably. As this project is showing us, the subway has many parts that while we take them for granted, they must be taken good care of for New York to keep moving. With efficiency mechanisms like bundling, more of these projects are being done at even faster rates. Hopefully, this progress continues so that New York’s Subway System can continue to serve riders as well as it can for years to come.

Works Cited

GP. “Why Are Protective Coatings Important For Railways?” Grand PolyCoats, 15 March 2023, https://blog.grandpolycoats.com/why-are-protective-coatings-important-for-railways/. Accessed 15 July 2024.

Kluger, Barry L. “Improving Structural Inspections at MTA New York City Transit.” MTA Inspector General-New York, April 2013, https://mtaig.ny.gov/Reports/12-11.pdf. Accessed 15 July 2024.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Average Weekday Subway Ridership. 2024.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “Capital Program Dashboard.” MTA, Q1 2024, http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/CPDPlan.html?PLN=8&AGY=a. Accessed 15 July 2024.

MTA Construction & Development. “Delivering Infrastructure for Today and Tomorrow 2023 Year in Review & 2024 Strategic Plan.” MTA, 7 May 2024, https://new.mta.info/document/106091. Accessed 15 July 2024.

New York Transit Museum. Facebook, 3 July 2020, https://www.facebook.com/nytransitmuseum/photos/a.190236633842/10157759044758843/?type=3. Accessed 15 July 2024.