New York’s busiest subway line to close for 18 months

A tunnel that carries one of New York’s most congested subway lines will be shut down for a year and a half, causing one of the largest service disruptions in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s history, according to The New York Times.

The tunnel that ferries the popular L train between Manhattan and Brooklyn will be closed in January 2019 to fix serious damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

{mosads}Officials had been weighing the decision and made the announcement on Monday, according to the Times. Another option considered was a partial three-year shutdown, which would have allowed limited service.

The 18-month tunnel closure will force tens of thousands of people to find alternative routes into and out of Manhattan.

About 225,000 riders take the L train to cross the East River daily.

“It really came down to our wanting to pick an option that minimized inconvenience to the customer,” Veronique Hakim, president of New York City Transit, told the Times. “This is the, ‘Get in, get done, get out,’ option.”

In Washington, D.C., the city’s Metrorail system is undergoing a yearlong repair effort that involves partial segment shutdowns, continuous single-tracking and shortened late-night and weekend service.

New York officials are considering alternative travel options, such as extra subway service on nearby lines, a new bus and ferry service, and added cars on the G line, according to the Times.