For the past twelve years, New York’s “G” train service has been cut short in Queens to Long Island City – and the problem it’s created for commuters has only grown since.

Perhaps the most visible evidence of this lies in Court Square itself, the current terminal in question. Despite many efforts to improve the complex, the problem remains simple: it’s a mess. Not only does the platform for G trains suffer from low headroom and limited walking space in the boarding area, the corridors connecting it to other lines are considerably long and don’t offer any departure information. Overall, it’s not exactly a commuter’s dream place to be, especially with the moving walkways removed for undisclosed reasons.

The shortening of the G has also left Queens’ commuter corridor scrambling to pick up the slack. In terms of frequency, local service provided by only the M and R trains currently operates five-minutely where it would otherwise be three-minutely – and while the E and F trains provide more frequent express service, long crossovers and teething issues with its exclusive signaling tend to negate whatever advantage is gained. Crucially though, none of the lines offer a direct connection to Brooklyn, having to go through Manhattan first which inevitably adds travel time that could otherwise be avoided.

And for commuters along the G’s cross-Brooklyn section, the situation becomes even more unfortunate. At least prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the New York City Subway’s fastest-growing ridership base at over 17% since the 2010 service cuts; for areas which have historically been working-class, immigrant neighborhoods, African-American cultural centers and architectural pinnacles, providing them with a truly direct link to the heart of Queens should be a priority, and yet it remains not even despite gentrification.

To all of the above, I raise a simple solution: extend the G train to Forest Hills. This would address most of the problems that commuters currently face – gone would be the nightmare of having to transfer through Court Square, local service along Queens Boulevard would be more reliable and frequent, and getting between the outer boroughs would finally feel as crucial as it is instead of an afterthought. As a bonus, it would require zero new infrastructure, as this service pattern existed prior to 2010 and the tracks that enabled it are still maintained for rerouted F trains.

It’s also worth noting that whatever budgeting logic may have gone into shortening the G line should not apply today, considering the MTA is willing to spend $30 million on a single staircase for tourist appeal and publicity. Additionally, this extension should include an upgrade of each G train to ten cars from the current five, as the current ridership demands it regardless.

Sincerely, a Brooklyn–Queens commuter.