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New York’s L Train Shutdown Is Cancelled. What Happened?

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the MTA’s much-dreaded 15-month tunnel closure isn’t needed. But this twist raises disconcerting questions.
No way in 'L': New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that the long-impending plan to shut down the L train subway in April was cancelled.
No way in 'L': New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that the long-impending plan to shut down the L train subway in April was cancelled.Mark Lennihan/AP

Well, this is no way to run a railroad.

In a press conference on Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo surprised New York City by cancelling the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan to close the subway’s L train tunnel for 15 months of repairs, a much-dreaded infrastructure fix that promised to aggravate commuters with untold delays and stress. If all goes according to a hastily sketched plan that MTA board members must still approve, the tunnel will remain mostly open throughout the construction period, which remains set to begin in April.