When it comes to public transportation needs, the various candidates running for Queens Borough President in the upcoming Tuesday, March 24th special election including Costa Constantinides, Elizabeth Crowley, Anthony Miranda, Jim Quinn, Donovan Richards, and Dao Yin continue to leave commuters empty-handed, with no real firm financial commitments. They all failed to provide any specific information on how to come up with funding to implement many of the following transportation projects which they collectively in most cases support.
The list includes but is not limited to the following projects or proposals. The Commuter Rail Fare Equalization Proposal would allow NYC residents to pay a $2.75 fare on the Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North Rail Road, the same as riding the NYC Transit Subway and provide a free transfer to the NYC subway. How will NYC provide the MTA with $200 million to cover the cost? The same is true for a free transfer from any NYC Economic Development Corporation’s private ferry.
The LaGuardia Airport Train to the Plane may need more than the current anticipated project cost of $2.05 billion. Next, there is a one-seat ride from Manhattan to Kennedy Airport, which could cost several billion.
Some Queens residents will be looking for $97 million toward the $258 million Phase 2 Woodhaven Blvd. Select Bus Service. These dollars may be necessary if NYC DOT is unable to secure $97 million in Federal Transit Administration New Starts funding.
Others support $2.2 billion to construct Light Rail between Jamaica and Long Island City on the old Lower Montauk LIRR branch; restoration of LIRR service on the old Rockaway branch at $8 billion; Triboro X Subway Express (new subway line connecting the Bronx, Queens & Brooklyn) for $2 billion; Main Street Flushing Intermodal Bus Terminal $100 million, reopening the Woodhaven Blvd. Atlantic Branch LIRR Station $40 million, the Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront Street Car Connector at a cost of $2.7 billion. This would connect various neighborhoods along the waterfront from Sunset Park, Brooklyn to Astoria, $36 million for reopening the old Elmhurst LIRR station and millions for new ferry services from Astoria, Bayside, Fort Totten, College Point, and Flushing Marina.
Many neighborhoods are looking for the introduction of either Select Bus Service; Bus Rapid Transit; Limited Stop Bus to Subway or Express Bus Service to Manhattan. There is still the need to bring many of the 78 Queens subway and 21 LIRR stations back up to a state of good repair. Don’t forget the need for additional subway and LIRR stations to become fully compliant with the Americans for Disability Act by the construction of elevators.
A recent court decision will force the MTA to provide more funding to accelerate many of the 471 NYC Subway stations not in compliance with ADA. This could require between $20 million to $100 million for the installation of elevators for an average NYC subway station currently without elevators. Others want billions more to increase the number of new and rehabilitated subway cars and buses.
Where do any of the Queens Borough President wanna-boes find the cash for all these projects? The Federal Transit Administration, Albany, and MTA may be possible funding sources for some of these projects. Clearly City Hall will have to contribute some significant funding. These dollars are necessary if any of these projects will ever advance beyond a planning feasibility study or in some cases environmental review. Funding is needed for final design and engineering followed by construction.
Will any future Queens Borough President be successful in convincing the MTA to program their share of billions in future Congestion Pricing revenues scheduled to start in 2021 to support some of these projects? Will any of these projects be added into the $51 billion MTA 2020 – 2024 Five-Year Capital Plan? What about including these projects in the MTA 2020 – 2040 Twenty Year Long Range Capital Plan?
Talk is cheap, but actions speak volumes.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
