ARC $$ could boost transit here
Linda Baran, SILIVE - December 6, 2010STATEN ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The following is in reference to mayor’s suggestion that the federal Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) funds be used to pay for an extension of the No. 7 subway line to Secaucus, N.J.:
An alternative proposal, that would satisfy several of the City’s PlaNYC goals, would be to use fraction of the ARC funds on a mass transit solution for the North Shore of Staten Island.
The North Shore is an area that is critically underserved and in need of an inexpensive transportation alternative. Currently, Staten Island is the only region within a 50-mile radius without a rail link to Manhattan.
If the transit solution were extended over the Bayonne Bridge and connected to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, this would provide us with commuter rail access to Manhattan via the PATH train.
My understanding is that an extension of the No. 7 line would require a significant amount of study. Metropolitan Transportation studies of the North Shore, on the other hand, have reached a critical stage and the Port Authority is looking at raising or replacing the Bayonne Bridge by 2014.
Borough President James Molinaro, who worked tirelessly to finance the initial feasibility study, the alternative analysis study and the environmental impact study, has made this a priority. Mayoral support and a dedicated source of funds at this stage would show prospective investors that the city is serious about redeveloping the North Shore, encourage early development in the region and bring in new business and new jobs.
Lack of transportation infrastructure has made it difficult for Staten Island to attract businesses and quality workers. The majority of residents cannot travel to any of the major transportation hubs, including Newark Airport, Metropark, Penn Station, JFK and LaGuardia airports, without driving. To add insult to injury, Staten Islanders face some of the longest commutes in the nation and pay the highest tolls. These are serious quality of life issues that affect tens of thousands of Staten Islanders every day.
Although Staten Island comprises nearly one fifth of New York City’s land and is consistently one of the fastest-gowing counties in the state, it has just one rail line that services only the easternmost portion of the Island. Each of the other boroughs has between six and 22 subway lines. If this administration is serious about improving transit access to underserved areas, there is no better place to accomplish this than the North Shore of Staten Island.
The return on investment for a North Shore mass transportation solution would be significant. The estimated cost of the most expensive option, heavy rail, is $377 million (only 12.5 percent of the $3 billion in ARC funds) and the benefits would be substantial. It would infuse the entire region with tourism dollars by providing the millions of annual tourists who ride Staten Island Ferry access to Snug Harbor, the Port Richmond shopping district and other points of interest.
It would allow residents easy access to both the Ferry Terminal and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, making the North Shore a much more attractive location for both prospective residents and businesses.
Finally, with up to 15,600 daily riders within five years, a North Shore mass transit system would take cars off the road, reduce congestion and shrink the cty’s carbon footprint.
I am confident that similar projects exist in the outer boroughs that would significantly improve those neighborhoods. Just a fraction of these funds could help rejuvenate an underserved area and pay long-term dividends well into the future.
Categories: Chamber in the News
