Commuters using the J and M subway lines should expect significant service disruptions on several weekends this fall as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority undertakes critical track work near Marcy Avenue. The maintenance project involves replacing track switches that have been in place since 1997, which are essential for connecting parts of Brooklyn and Queens with lower Manhattan.

The MTA announced that, from October 17 through November 23, service will be suspended on select weekends on the J and M lines. Specifically, shuttle buses will replace trains running between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway in Brooklyn and Essex Street in Manhattan. During this period, J trains will operate only between Jamaica Center and Myrtle Avenue-Broadway, with no direct service to Manhattan.

The affected weekends include October 17-18 and 24-25, as well as November 7-9, 13-16, and 20-23. The work aims to improve safety and reliability by updating aging infrastructure on a vital transit corridor serving neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, East New York, Ozone Park, and Jamaica.

This schedule means four Brooklyn stations—Flushing Avenue, Lorimer Street, Hewes Street, and Marcy Avenue—will be without train service during the designated weekends. The MTA has advised passengers to plan accordingly for alternative routes and additional travel time.