Wondering how you’re going to get around during next year’s Canarsie Tunnel closure that will limit L train service? A series of community meetings that begin next week presents the perfect opportunity to learn more.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) recently announced the dates for a series of jointly held open houses in January and February aimed at engaging those communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn that will be affected by the repairs to the Canarsie Tunnel on the L line.

The open houses, which will take place over four consecutive weeks beginning on January 24, will feature representatives from MTA and NYC DOT and will provide riders with critical information about alternative travel options they can utilize during the 15 months in which the Canarsie Tunnel will be closed for major repairs. MTA personnel will preview some of the measures the organization will take to help move the roughly 225,000 customers who go through the tunnel each weekday, while NYC DOT will discuss its proposed street improvements and treatments during the tunnel repairs.

Customers are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in the meetings. All sessions are free and open to the public.

ABOUT THE CANARSIE TUNNEL CLOSURE

The Canarsie Tunnel was one of nine underwater tunnels that flooded during Superstorm Sandy in 2012, all of which required extensive rehabilitation and repair. The Canarsie Tunnel suffered extensive damage to tracks, signals, switches, power cables, signal cables, communication cables, lighting, cable ducts and bench walls throughout a 7,100-foot-long flooded section of both tubes. Bench walls throughout those sections must be rehabilitated to protect the structural integrity of the tubes.

The scheduled 15-month closure of the Canarsie Tunnel’s two tubes begins in April 2019.

More information on the Canarsie Tunnel repairs and the alternate service changes are available on this dedicated MTA mini-site on the work.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE OPEN HOUSES

These community meetings will follow an open house format guided by MTA and NYC DOT representatives. The meetings are intended to help customers better understand their alternate travel options and provide answers to questions from subway customers, local business owners and residents of the impacted neighborhoods.

The open houses will take place on the following dates:

Wednesday, January 24, 2018, from 5 to 8 p.m: East Williamsburg Progress High School 850 Grand Street, Brooklyn To get to the event, take the L to Grand Street or use any of the following bus lines: Q54, Q59, B43.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018, from 5 to 8 p.m.: Manhattan Eastside 14th Street Y 344 East 14th Street, New York To get to the event, take the to 1 Av or the to 14 St-Union Sq or use any of the following bus lines: M14A, M14D, M15, M15SBS, M101, M102, M103

Thursday, February 8, 2018, from 5 to 8 p.m: Williamsburg Williamsburg Community Center 195 Graham Avenue, Brooklyn To get to the event, take L to Montrose Av or use any of the following bus lines: Q54, Q59, B24, B43, B48, B60

Wednesday, February 14, 2018, from 5 to 8 p.m: Manhattan Westside Our Lady of Guadalupe Church 328 West 14th Street, New York To get to the event, take to 14 St or the 8 Av or use any of the following bus lines M11, M12, M14A, M14D, M20

More information about the open houses is available here.