F and M trains will swap routes between Manhattan and Queens

Subway riders traveling between Manhattan and Queens should prepare for changes to their commute come December, when the MTA swaps the F and M lines to ease notorious delays at Queens Plaza. Starting December 8, the F and M lines will trade East River tunnels, separating express and local service and eliminating a bottleneck at Queens Plaza that delays up to 20 percent of rush-hour E, M, and R trains, the agency announced on Monday. By removing the merges at Queens Plaza, the MTA will keep local M and R delays from spilling into express E and F service, and vice versa. The swap aims to ease chronic congestion on the Queens Boulevard lines, where delays currently affect 15 to 20 percent of rush-hour trains. Commuters at Roosevelt Island and 21st Street–Queensbridge can expect less crowded trains, and M riders will see more frequent service during rush hours.