FASTRACK shutters East Side local service

This week’s FASTRACK along the East Side local tracks leaves riders with plenty of alternate routes.

As FASTRACK treatements go, this one’s easy: Beginning tonight at 10 p.m. and continuing 5 a.m. each night this week, there will be no local service along Lexington Ave. between Harlem and Grand Central. The 6 train will run express from 125th St. to 42nd St. in both direction, bypassing 51st St., 68th St., 77th St., 96th St., 103rd St., 110th St. and 116th St. Customers looking for the interim stops can either walk from nearby express stations or transfer to the M101 Limited, making all local 6 stops and running up 3rd Ave. and down Lexington Ave. The worst of this week’s changes concern the 5. Service along the 5 train into Manhattan will end early, and riders will have to switch to the 2 at Grand Concourse to catch the 5 at East 180th St.

This is the FASTRACK calm before the storm though. Beginning next Monday, for the first time ever, there will be no service along Central Park West/8th Ave. north of 59th Street. That won’t be too fun for anyone. More on that next Monday.