8 The Courier sun • MARCH 24, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com Assembly wants cash for Rockaway Beach rail reboot BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @A_GiudiceReport Queens’ Rockaway Beach line took a “huge step” toward reactivation on March 15 when Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder announced that this year’s Assembly one-house budget proposal will include millions of dollars for a feasibility study of the line. Many transit advocates across the “World’s Borough” have been fighting to get the Rockaway Beach line up and running again, providing service from the Rockaways and southern Queens to areas such as Rego Park and the rest of the city on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) that hasn’t been seen since the route stopped operating in 1962. “We are extremely happy. There is no doubt that this is the next step in getting the train back in Queens,” said Phil McManus, president of the Queens Public Transit Committee. “We’re all hurting out here when it comes to transportation. I love the idea that Assemblyman Goldfeder got the money for the study. Now we are going to have to monitor this study and make sure that it is done correctly.” The proposal of this study includes language that would requires the MTA to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study of the line, noting that “constructing new mass transit routes and services reduces vehicle traffic and alleviates congestion.” The MTA would be required to complete the study and submit their findings to the governor and the leaders in both houses of the legislature no later than March 1, 2017. “With so many families in Queens suffering through some of the longest commutes in the city, it’s important that we explore every option to improve transportation. A feasibility THE COURIER/File photo study of reactivation of the Rockaway Beach Rail Line will do just that,” Goldfeder said. “This study will provide us with an accurate picture of the state of the line and show not just what it would cost to reactivate, but also the impact this would have on thousands of commuters in the community.” Goldfeder expects the MTA to assess the current condition of infrastructure along the 4 miles of tracks, as well as the full cost of reactivating it for passenger service. He also hopes the study will contain the benefits of reactivation, including potential ridership and the economic benefits to the surrounding communities. “This is a huge step forward for families in southern Queens and the entire city who deserve transit equity,” Goldfeder said. “For too long, we have let this valuable right-ofway remain unused and abandoned. The new study will confirm that full restoration of the line is the most cost effective and environmentally sound way to ease congestion on our roadways, connect Queens neighborhoods and improve commutes for every New York City family.” “A feasibility study is a commendable idea for the old Rockaway line. Seeing this in the final budget would demonstrate how serious we are about improving transportation options for the residents of my district,” said Assemblyman Mike Miller. “An important question that should be asked is how we can connect this rail line to the current Long Island Rail Road service already on Atlantic Avenue. I would hope that in the process the study takes into account all factors, especially homeowners who live next to the rail line. We must ensure that quality of life is maintained for all members of the community.” FORMER JUDGE FROM HOWARD BEACH JOINS NYFAC BOARD Howard Beach-based New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC) recently welcomed retired New York State Supreme Court Justice Augustus C. Agate to its board of trustees. Justice Agate retired in 2014 after serving 10 years on the New York State Supreme Court’s Civil Term bench. Prior to this, he served as a New York City Civil Court Judge. Ever active in his community, Justice Agate is a nearly 40-year member Photo courtesy of NYFAC of the Howard Beach Kiwanis, among other affiliations. As a NYFAC trustee, Justice Agate joins his colleagues in serving in an advisory capacity for the organization. “We are truly honored that someone of Justice Agate’s caliber has joined our board of trustees,” said Andrew Baumann, president and CEO of NYFAC. “He brings with him not only professional experience, but a passion for our mission of ‘helping parents help their children one family at a time.’” Agate (at left) is pictured with Baumann. You decide which Queens community projects will receive $1M in participatory budgeting BY ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected]/@A_GiudiceReport Who wants to spend a million in Queens? The ballot with 30th Council District community projects to potentially get funded with $1 million from the participatory budget is now finalized, so voters can see exactly how much money the projects will cost and what each project will consist of. Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley has released a “voter guide” for her constituents taking part in the second round of participatory budgeting in her district. There are nine projects on the ballot, with voters being able to pick the five projects they would most like to see funded. Education upgrades have the most proposals on the ballot with five. Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood and P.S./I.S. 87 in Middle Village are on the ballot to receive 15 SMART Boards each, which will allow for the integration of various technologies within the classroom to improve the learning experience of students. This project’s budget will be $250,000. P.S./I.S. 49, P.S. 87, P.S./I.S. 119 and P.S. 153 are all on the ballot to receive laptop carts for their classrooms to make technology more accessible. This will cost $280,000. Air conditioning renovations at I.S. 73 in Maspeth will purchase and install a ductless split air conditioning system to cool the cafeteria or auditorium in the school and will have a price tag of $350,000. The fourth education project on the ballot is the updating and renovations of the bathrooms at P.S./I.S. 49, P.S. 09 and P.S. 88. This project would cost $420,000. P.S. 71 and P.S. 153 are in the running to receive seat replacements in their auditoriums for $786,750. Park renovations were a major concern of the communities, so three parks projects made it to the final ballot. The swing area at both Reiff and Little Bush playgrounds could get a renovation of new metal bars, a new safety surface and fencing repairs. This project would cost $200,000. Little Bush playground is on the ballot two more times, vying for renovations to its basketball courts, including new backboards, basketball hoops, a sports coating and a new fence; as well as a beautification project that will consist of horticultural renovations to beautify the playground and create a noise barrier between the playground and residential homes. The projects will cost $250,000 and $100,000 respectively. The ninth project to make the final ballot would bring in new desktop computers along with equipment and furniture to the Ridgewood and Maspeth Public Libraries, with a price tag of $36,000. To learn more about these projects and on how to register to vote in the participatory budgeting, check their website or attend the project expo to be held on Thursday, March 24, at 6 p.m. at the Ridgewood Library, located at 20-12 Madison St. Voting for the projects begins on March 26 and run through April 3.
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