WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JANUARY 13, 2022 9
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
Residents, elected offi cials concerned about potential
drawbacks of proposed Interborough Express Rail
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her proposal for
an Interborough Express Rail that would connect
Brooklyn and Queens during the State
of the State address on Wednesday, Jan 5, and while
many are thrilled about increased access to public
transportation, there are those who are voicing
concerns regarding the amount of noise the railway
would bring to an area already overwhelmed with
freight cars.
Hochul’s proposal would utilize a dormant 14-mile
rail line, providing faster commutes for countless
residents between the two neighboring boroughs.
The rail would go right through the Ridgewood,
Middle Village and Maspeth areas — which have
been dealing with excessive noise from the New York
& Atlantic Railway Co. (NYA) rails at all hours of the
night, among other issues.
Residents near Mafera Park, and especially on
Edsall Avenue in Glendale, have been battling with
NYA for years now. They claim that trains currently
come by at odd hours of the night, blaring horns and
slamming freight cars together. This creates incredible
noise and shaking that some say is ruining the
foundations of their homes.
Luis Ross lives 40 feet from the tracks on Edsall
Avenue and said the noise, along with the deteriorating
conditions of his street due to the rail line, have
seriously impacted his quality of life.
“We can’t sleep. Me and my wife were going to stay
in a hotel one time because it was aff ecting my heart,”
Ross said. “We’re tired. We either have to move out
or tell somebody about this.”
In response to these concerns, NYA previously
released a statement saying that although it is understandable
residents are bothered by the noise,
the horns are entirely unavoidable.
“Audible warning devices are federally mandated
to ensure the general public’s safety,” NYA said in a
statement. “Rest assured that our train crews are
not wantonly sounding horns for any other purpose
than what is required by federal safety regulations.
Safety is of paramount concern to NYA.”
Residents today are still struggling to get a good
night’s sleep with the NYA freight rails running
through their otherwise quiet neighborhood. And
now the potential for a new commuter rail has residents
asking, how much more can this community
take?
One resident, Linda Byszynski, a local activist and
resident, said she supports a Brooklyn and Queens
line but has concerns about the impact and placement
of the rail.
“It looks like the proposed freight line that they
want to use is the one in my ‘backyard,’” Byszynski
said. “I have concerns because of the noise and the
Residents near Edsall Avenue in Glendale have been battling with the NYA over noise from freight
cars they say has negatively impacted their quality of life. Photo by Julia Moro
deteriorating conditions of the rail line.”
Another local, Sharon Vincent, has lived on 72nd
Place between Edsall and Central avenues since 1998.
“I’m oft en woken up at 2, 3 or 4 in the morning by
the horns,” Vincent said. “I would love to see some
kind of connection into Brooklyn so I don’t have to
go into Brooklyn via Manhattan, but I am concerned
about it running here. This house is my retirement.”
This particular area of Queens is far off from any
major public transportation lines. City Councilman
Robert Holden told the New York Post that he supports
the transit option for his constituents.
“Since much of our district is a virtual public
transit desert, it’s exciting to revisit the idea,” Holden
said. “More transportation would be very helpful.
We need a thorough study.”
State Senator Joseph Addabbo said he sympathizes
with the community and has heard the noise from
the NYA rails fi rst hand back in 2009 when he asked
a constituent if he could experience it for himself.
“Here I am, sitting in the kitchen of a constituent
at 4 in the morning, having my coff ee and cookies,
with the rattling of the dishes because the rail is so
close to these homes,” Addabbo said. “I appreciate the
governor’s vision, and it really is all about improving
transportation, but to do it in a very environmentally
friendly way with minimal impact on the
community. I support the idea of moving forward in
a very cautious way as we look at the details.”
In response to some of the residents’ concerns, an
MTA spokesperson told QNS that they are working
to begin an environmental review, which will give
residents the opportunity to voice their concerns.
“The MTA shares the view of Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards that this project will be
good for all parts of Queens and we are eager to partner
with him to pursue strategies that will enable the
most effi cient roll-out of the environmental review
process,” the statement said. “We invite anyone with
input to participate in the robust environmental
review process that’s soon going to be underway.”
The MTA also said that the trains would be
electrically powered, minimizing local noise and
emissions. However, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan,
who lives in Ridgewood, last week said she is “deeply
concerned” about the proposal.
“I opposed the privatization of the Long Island
Freight Line many years ago and there continues
to be serious safety concerns. I want to ensure
those I represent are included in the process, as
they understand transportation needs between
the boroughs better than any plan coming from
Albany,” Nolan said. “I would oppose this project
at this time but, of course, await information from
our governor as to her vision to address the critical
needs of Queens.”
PoliticsNY.com PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews
/PoliticsNY.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
