NEW YORK — New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority will build its first light rail line under plans announced this week for the Interborough Express project, which will connect Brooklyn and Queens on an existing Long Island Rail Road freight right-of-way that will connect 17 subway lines and LIRR passenger service.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the preference for the light rail option for the route as part of her State of the State address earlier this week. She had first announced plans for the Interborough Express in her 2022 State of the State speech.
The MTA says a planning study supports the choice of light rail over heavy rail and bus rapid transit options for the 14-mile line because it will provide the best service at the lowest cost per rider, based on factors such as capacity, construction costs, and the ability to purchase trainsets off the shelf. That study indicates the service would be used by up to 115,000 weekday riders and up to 34.6 million riders annually. Trains would operate on headways of up to 5 minutes during peak periods and up to 10 minutes at other times.
“Moving forward with light rail for the Interborough Express means better access to jobs, education and economic opportunities for some 900,000 New Yorkers in Queens and Brooklyn,” MTA CEO Janno Lieber said. “I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership on this exciting project and look forward to working with stakeholders and local communities to move the proposed project forward.”
Streetsblog NYC reports that at least some transit advocates are concerned about selection of the light rail option because it does not integrate into the rest of the existing rail transit network, quoting Renae Reynolds, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, as saying, “It’s time to break free from the fragmented, patchwork transit system that leaves too many people stranded and disconnected. … Our region deserves a seamless transit network that works for everyone.”
Other transit initiatives included in Hochul’s address included expansion of the MTA’s City Ticket, a flat-fare rate for Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road travel within New York City, to include peak hours, and $10 million in funds for non-MTA agencies in the state.
It’s too bad this couldn’t be extended into the Bronx. Either the Hell’s Gate Bridge or on the Triboro Bridge.
The Interborough Express is a transformative rapid transit project that would connect currently underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens. It would substantially cut down on travel times between the two boroughs, reduce congestion, and expand economic opportunities for the people who live and work in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Using the existing rail infrastructure means the ambitious and timely Interborough Express service could be established more quickly and efficiently. It would also preserve the Bay Ridge Branch’s use as a freight line, providing an opportunity to connect to the Port Authority’s Cross-Harbor Freight Project.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Alstom and CAF may have already started preparing their proposals for possible sets that will work on the related MTA “light rail” line. May the best one win!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Well light rail is a much better pick than the busway option. Hopefully the planners will build the stations and ROW such that if it proves to be successful, it can later be converted to heavy rail without huge modifications needed. Interesting in that there is a parallel in DC where the new Purple Line linking the heavy rail in the outer ring Maryland suburbs will also be light rail.
Well, the only thing this has going for it is that the ROW is there. I agree with those who think LRT is a poor choice because it will be an outlier in the NYC transit system. IMHO this should have been a Metro North initiative that could have connected in Astoria with the Penn Station Access route across Hell Gate Bridge and through the east Bronx perhaps terminating at New Rochelle. The fourth track across Hell Gate Bridge could be restored if it was seen to be necessary to keep the route fluid. In fact, I believe the original plan for this circumferential route through Brooklyn and Queens called for just that.
Good thoughts Mark. How about Metro North + LIRR or for that matter Amtrak.
The population of Long Island is — I don’t know I looked it up once for an earlier post. Let’s guess Kings 1.6 million, Queens 2,1 million, Nassau 1.2 million, Suffolk 0.6 million, my best guesses without looking it up. By these guess Long Island has a population of about Wisconsin, highly urbanized, many transit connections, Amtrak stations zero-point-zero.
How many counties of about 2.1 million (my guess) does Amtrak pass through without stopping? Just Queens.
If this latest idea and project ever gets built! How many ideas for new rail lines and subways as well as light rail lines were proposed and never built. Either NIMBYs got in the way or certain special interests or politicans that were never paid off or got their palms greased stood in the way to block such plans. We could fill volumes with all the grand plans that were going to be built but never as so much was a shovel of dirt dug. New York City has a history of proposing transit improvements and expansion but never built. By the way what has happened to the proposed extension of the Second Avenue Stubway to 125th Street ? or has that been put on the shelf or relegated to the history books of failed projects. Years ago there was plans for an extension of the Archer Avenue Subway line in Jamaica, Queens to be built on the LIRR tracks to Rosedale. that too has faded into the mists of time. New Yorkers Don’t hold your breath waiting for this light rail project to be built It never will be built. Also Staten Island waiting for that elusive Bus right of way to run over the old North Shore Line of the SIRT into St George and connect to the ferry terminal Still waiting and waiting and waiting while everbody grows old and rides off into the sunset
Joseph C. Markfelder
MTA cannot even get the LIRR into GCT Madison after a century of planning. How long will this take?