EDITORIAL
READERS WRITE
The Federal Transit
Administration just released
their fiscal year 2020 (Oct. 1, 2019
- Sept. 30, 2020) New Starts report.
This year will be make or break
for NYCDOT to be successful
in obtaining federal funding
for the $231 million Phase 2 of
Woodhaven Blvd. Select Bus
Service.
According to the March
2019 FTA New Starts Report for
Fiscal Year 2020, the project is
still in the development stage.
This has been the case since
being admitted to the New Starts
process in 2015.
What we don’t know is how
serious the current discussion
is between FTA & NYCDOT
about approval of a Full Funding
Grant Agreement is. This would
represent a legal commitment by
the federal government for $97
million toward the project. This
also requires Congressional
& Presidential authorization
and approval of funding in the
upcoming federal fiscal year 2020
FTA budget.
According to the project status
report, the DOT is counting on
FTA approval for a Full Funding
Grant Agreement in 2019.
The previous construction
start date of 2019 for Phase
Two is impossible if design
and engineering will not be
completed until the end of 2019.
You need six months from start
to finish for the procurement
process to award contracts for
construction, which would have
to take place in 2020.
NYCDOT Commissioner
Polly Trottenberg previously
committed completion of the
total project by 2025. The
project status report now lists a
2029 completion date. Why the
additional four years? Assuming
federal funding is secured in
2019, why should it take ten years
for project completion?
Is this project included within
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed
new municipal budget? Is the
MTA including any funding
in their own upcoming $30 to
$50 billion Five Year 2020 - 2024
Capital Plan?
Political support from elected
officials is also important. In
all my years of watching how
this project has developed since
the first planning feasibility
study completed in 2008, I’m
unaware of any lawmakers
holding the standard Sunday
news conference in support of
this project. I have seen many
of them speak out forcefully for
other projects.
Without an approved FTA
Full Funding Grant Agreement,
taxpayers, commuters, transit
advocates, elected officials and
media may never ride the full
build out of Woodhaven Blvd.
Select Bus Service.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
PAYING FOR PAST MISTAKES
For too many years, community leaders in
western Queens have screamed at the top of
their lungs that the city should provide proper
infrastructure ahead of the massive developments
that are currently changing the skyline of Long
Island City. The city didn’t listen and now it is the
taxpayer who is paying the price.
NYC Ferry came under attack last week for its
astonishingly high level of subsidy per passenger
ride, and rightfully so. A study released by the
Citizens Budget Commission showed the ferries
serve more than 4 million passengers annually at a
cost to the city of $10.73 per ride, an operating subsidy
that is 10 times higher than that of the New York City
Transit system which operates subway and bus rides
at a subsidy of $1.05 per passenger trip.
The New York Economic Development
Corporation, which oversees NYC Ferry, disputes
much of the report saying the system is only two
years old and the subsidy includes the cost of the
23 city-owned vessels that were built to launch the
service. The agency says it is unfair to compare it
to the subway system which has been existence for
more than 100 years.
“NYC Ferry’ ridership has grown dramatically
in just two years because we’re providing affordable,
efficient transit to New Yorkers that lack other good
options,” a NYCEDC spokesperson said. Any new
dependable transit service comes with startup costs,
but these will decrease as ridership grows.”
NYC Ferry is expected to serve 11 million riders
by 2023. Mayor Bill de Blasio defended the system
last week saying the population in the five boroughs
will add a half million more people in the 15 to 20
years. Whenever he has promoted NYC Ferry, Citi
Bike and the BQX, de Blasio explains that building
new subway lines is too cost prohibitive and these
systems are preparing for the New York City for the
future.
Take riders of the beleaguered 7 train who have
suffered for nearly a decade with weekend service
suspensions, closures and other interruptions
while the city “modernized” the 10.5 mile line with
a new signal operations system that came online in
December and is already performing well, according
to the MTA.
But with the Flushing line running at 100 percent
capacity in both a.m. and p.m. rush hours, according
to transportation historian and advocate Larry
Penner, the improved service can’t keep pace with
development.
Queens commuters will need NYC Ferry in the
near future, no matter how high the subsidy. They
may need more transit options as well. The city
should have listened to the community leaders.
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16 TIMESLEDGER, APR. 5-11, 2019 BT QNS.COM
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