NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has scheduled its first in-person town hall meetings on the proposed Interborough Express light rail project, which would build along an existing Long Island Rail Road freight right-of-way to connect LIRR passenger service and 17 subway lines.
Meetings are set for Nov. 8 at Brooklyn College; Nov. 15 at P.S. 007 Louis F. Simeone School in Elmhurst, Queens; and Nov. 30 at Widdi Catering Hall in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. All three meetings are scheduled to run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. They are intended to provide members of the public the opportunity to learn more about the project and provide comment as the MTA prepares for the environmental review process.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced earlier this year that the 14-mile line would be first light-rail element of the MTA system, after that choice was selected over bus rapid transit and heavy rail options [see “MTA to build first light rail line …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 12, 2023]. The MTA selected consultant WSP USA to perform the project’s environmental review in August [see “MTA chooses consultant …,” News Wire, Aug. 3, 2023].
More on the Interborough Express is available at the MTA’s project website.
Great plan and idea but like all planned projects in New York City, it will never come to pass or actually be built. Too much political pressure, infighting and as always the NIMBYs which will always be there opposing any ttransit or rail line expansion, improvement or construction. I could list any number of proposed transit projects that only made to the planning stage or drawing board as well as the millions of dollars wasted on studies that yielded nothing but for lack of space doesn’t permit me to do this. I will however mention two projects that wound up being fragments of a much larger line The Second Avenue Stubway whicch might eventually wind up at a terminal at 125th Street and Park Avenue which is silly and don’t make sense and should be heading into the Bronx and the Archer Avenue Stubway in Jamaica, Queens which ended up at Parsons Blvd and Archer Avenue and was orginally planned to go to Rosedale using the tracks of LIRR’s Atlantic Branch. Nothing came of this and today it is not even mentioned or discussed when planning out transit improvements and expansion for NYC. Also it seems like Staten Island’s proposed express busway using the old SIRT Northside branch has gone nowhere either. NYC talks big but fails to deliver on their promoses and big ideas for transit.
Joseph C. Markfelder
Couldn’t just utilize existing LIRR equipment and services on LIRR owned property instead of having to make modifications for light rail vehicles that are not FRA railroad compliant.
The first light-rail element in question seems to fit well with the MTA system and integrate quickly. Best of good luck to the dear MTA!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün