by Roshan Abraham

The impending shutdown of the L-train slated to begin in 2019 could have a significant economic impact on local businesses, which depend heavily on foot-traffic. But community members, who had a rough start communicating with the MTA about the shutdown, have become more welcoming to the gamut of ideas that city and outside planners have created to ease the transition.

The L train carries 225,000 people daily, according to the MTA. But the train-line, which is 92 years old, has been tested by a large increase in ridership in recent years. When the MTA announced earlier this year that they would need to shut the line down to repair Hurricane Sandy-related damage to the Canarsie Tunnel, local business owners grew concerned.