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Press Releases

For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 9th, 2005

Contact: Jordan Isenstadt (c) 516.991.3842 (w) 212.490.9535 (f) 212.490.2151

 

***PRESS RELEASE***

 

State Senator Liz Krueger Urges the MTA to Reexamine

Priorities in Wake of Rejection of the West Side Stadium

 

New York, NY – In light of the recently defeated Jet’s Stadium proposal, State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) called on state leaders and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to reprioritize expansion projects, commit to the full construction of the Second Avenue Subway and transfer the $2 billion in post 9/11 federal grants to help fund the project.  While Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg have lobbied to transfer the grant to finance the JFK/ Long Island rail link to lower Manhattan, Senator Krueger derided the project as not having sufficient benefits to justify its $6 billion price tag.  In a letter to MTA Chair Peter Kalikow, Senator Krueger also noted the dangers of constructing East Side Access without simultaneously constructing the Second Avenue Subway as a further example of why the Second Avenue Subway must be prioritized over other projects.  

 

Senator Krueger suggested state leaders lobby to transfer $2 billion dollars in post 9/11 federal aid to the $16 billion Second Avenue Subway project, which will terminate downtown, be utilized by 600,000 passengers daily and create up to 156,000 jobs.  In contrast, the JFK/ LIRR rail link will cost $6 billion, carry an estimated 4,000- 6,000 commuters to JFK and 100,000 to Long Island daily and create only 56,000 new jobs.  The Straphangers Campaign, the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA have criticized the project as not having sufficient benefits to justify its $6 billion price tag.  Ironically, even the Long Island Association has stated the rail link is not a priority, which has led many to question just who will benefit from the project. 

 

“The money that has been earmarked for the link should be transferred to the Second Avenue Subway,” stated Senator Krueger, “There is little doubt that a new subway line on the East Side would be far more beneficial than a tunnel to JFK.”

 

Senator Krueger noted the importance of constructing the new subway.  “The Second Avenue Subway is the most critical mass transit project and is needed to ensure New York City’s economic growth. The East Side of Manhattan is not only one of the most densely populated areas in the country with over 200,000 residents per square mile, it also has the most densely used office space in the country.  The Lexington Avenue Line has been coined ‘the most crowded subway in North American’ and operates at levels dangerously above capacity.  The Second Avenue Subway would alleviate these severe conditions, while reducing overly long travel times and improving transit accessibility to residents of the far East Side.”

 

The completion of the East Side Access project without a corresponding Second Avenue Subway will also result in further overcrowding on the Lexington Avenue Line and illustrates why the new subway line should be prioritized over other projects.  “The MTA’s own studies explicitly state that linking LIRR to Grand Central will constitute a significant impact to crowding on the 4, 5 and 6 trains,” said Senator Krueger.  “The Lexington Avenue line is already operating at levels dangerously over capacity – it would be irresponsible to bring more commuters onto the 4, 5 and 6 trains without new transit options for East Siders.”  The MTA’s Final Environmental Impact Statement for the East Side Access project also states construction of a Second Avenue Subway would mitigate increased ridership on the Lexington Avenue Line. 

 

 

 

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