Thursday, March 27, 2008

Public Transportation was ORIGINALLY designed to be an affordable and safe alternative to driving?

March 2008: a pair of LIRR trains collided and canceled 11 eastbound trains during the evening rush hour; a Hempstead train was passing over a switch, a mechanism controlled in towers near the station that allows trains to transfer between tracks at the time of the accident; tracks were also damaged in the accident; massive rush hour delays; no injuries

February 2008: MTA/LIRR raise fares by 4%

October 2007: a railway accident occurred involving two freight cars owned by New York and Atlantic Railway; they derailed in Holtsville (Suffolk County) forcing the temporary suspension of service on the LIRR

July 2007: LIRR accident occurred involving freight cars owned by the New York and Atlantic Railway near Otto Road in Glendale; police had to evacuate several blocks surrounding the accident site where a train carrying 33,000 gallons of propane gas derailed in Queens; no hazardous material leaked from the train

January 2007: LIRR train derailed; police were forced to evacuate 153 people from an area near New York & Atlantic's Fresh Pond Road yard in Maspeth

July 2006 - LIRR train derailment took place at the West Side storage yard near Penn Station in Manhattan, fanning out across four sets of tracks, causing some delays, no injuries

March 2004: a runaway LIRR locomotive derailed and plowed into several parked cars near a Ridgewood railroad crossing, leaving four injured and one person permanently disabled

January 2001: an eastbound LIRR train carrying 110 passengers derailed in Greenlawn; accident caused by a defect in the track after the LIRR ignored their own safety standards; no injuries reported.

August 1988: a LIRR train smashed into a tractor trailer stuck at a grade crossing in Huntington, derailing the train; the impact was such that it toppled a diesel engine which pushed one railroad car into a neighboring lumber yard and another into a parked train on another track; 18 passenger injuries reported

Will the MTA's $29.5 proposed capital plan bring more of this kind of "service improvement and reliability"?

When will the Federal Transit Administration and our elected representatives finally stop the MTA "in its tracks" and begin to critically review the management of the public tax dollars which fund it?

Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 11:04 PM

Monday, March 24, 2008

"Improvements" cancelled by MTA "Budgetary Shortfalls" --- Again!

Today, the MTA announced that "service improvements" on LIRR have been put on hold because "tax revenues were $18.4 million over budget as of January ’08, but real estate taxes were under budget by $31.5 million." Among other “improvements”, the promise of more rush hour trains for its commuters has been postponed. The MTA will wait until June to consider these improvements again, since it needs more time to monitor its revenues. No matter what the outcome, these "service improvements" will now be delayed from early fall to possibly early next year, if at all!

Weren't LIRR commuters supposed to get "service improvements" via the fare increase they were hit with this month?!? Raise fares, THEN say there is not enough in the till?
The MTA, once again, acknowledges its budgetary shortfalls and reneges on the promises it made to its own customers.

The MTA proposed its $29.5 billion capital program this month. If approved by the MTA Capital Program Review Board, these public funds will be used to finance more of the MTA's so called "improvements". Will similar promises to "mainline communities" as per the LIRR Mainline Corridor-Third Track Project also fall victim to these typical budgetary shortfalls?

Remember what happened to the Fulton Transit Center?

(Read below)

http://nhpsaveourvillage.blogspot.com/2008/02/according-the-most-recent-news-updates.html

Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 6:18 PM

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Can this be a foreshadowing of the future?

"Slow Economy Likely to Stall Atlantic Yards" NY Times, March 21,2008

“Mr. Ratner’s remarks were a far cry from the optimistic days of December 2006, when the state approved Atlantic Yards and Forest City indicated that it would build the first phase of the project within four years and complete the entire venture in a decade.”

“Some work has started: Buildings on the site have been demolished, and construction is under way on a temporary rail yard for the Long Island Rail Road. The city and the state have already provided $58 million of the $300 million in public funds for the project.”

“Nobody knows how bad this is going to be. As for commercial projects, now doesn’t seem to be the time to start one.”

“Atlantic Yards has been the target of protests and lawsuits since Mr. Ratner proposed it more than four years ago. Some local residents say the project is oversized and will overwhelm the neighborhood, flooding it with new residents and heavy traffic. They also oppose the government’s use of eminent domain to condemn property on behalf of a private developer."

Read the entire article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion/21yards.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=Long%20Island%20Railroad&st=nyt&scp=7

Can this be a prophetic vision of Long Island's future?
Will the MTA's mega-projects be similarly affected by the present recessionary trends and, thus, leave Long Island's "mainline" communities in the midst of chaotic construction projects for years??
Is now REALLY the time for NYS to dedicate public tax dollars
to fund the MTA's $29.5 billion capital program?

Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 9:13 AM

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Long Islanders Burdened by Congestion Pricing!

Mayor Bloomberg’s Congestion Pricing Plan, already approved by NYS Traffic Mitigation Committee, has recently been endorsed by Governor Paterson, as well.

According to the present proposals, motorists would pay fees - $8 for drivers of cars with E-ZPass and $21 for trucks - to drive into Manhattan south of 60th Street between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, less any bridge or tunnel tolls they paid on the same day. Drivers without E-ZPass would pay $9 and would not receive credit for tolls.

In an agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, NYC has to approve the plan by April 7th. New York City stands to receive more than $350 million in federal funds for mass transit improvements if the congestion-pricing plan is approved by March 31. If adopted, New York State could draw $4.5 billion for mass transit improvements from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

It is important to note that Mayor Bloomberg’s Congestion Pricing Plan has been tied to one or more of the MTA / LIRR’s proposed capital projects insofar as the revenue realized from the pricing plan will offset some of the costs of the Third Track Project.

Editorial

The obvious financial shortfalls in the MTA's $29.5-billion capital program for 2008-2013 is putting congestion pricing on the fast track. Unfortunately, this plan, along with the MTA/LIRR capital projects, unfairly targets Long Island's commuters and burden’s Long Island’s “mainline corridor” communities :

  • Congestion pricing unfairly targets hardworking middle class Long Island commuters and small businesses by imposing a “tax” on them in an effort to grow the funds for the MTA’s capital programs, like the Third Track Project!

  • Congestion pricing shifts the burden of “congestion” from NYC to our own Long Island communities – it will cause a new wave of “park and ride” commuting and our neighborhood streets will become the future parking lots that would enable this to happen!

  • The money raised by this commuter tax will fund MTA/LIRR’s capital projects, like the Third Track Project, which seeks to impose several negative economic and environmental impacts with little or no benefit to the New Hyde Park 11040 area.

Contact your NYS Legislators in the NYS Senate and Assembly (links to the left). Let them know that their vote against the plan will help to protect the future stability of our community and LI homeowners and taxpayers.

Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 9:23 PM

Friday, March 21, 2008

A Statement from Floral Park's Trustee Tweedy

Reminder:
The first hearing of the NYS Assembly Third Track Advisory Committee is taking place at John Lewis Childs Elementary School Auditorium (10 Elizabeth St., Floral Park) on April 17th from 7:30-10PM. The focus of this meeting is to hear from the community and "send a message to the LIRR on the folly of their third track plan."
Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 9:20 PM

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

TIMES DEMAND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY!

By NYS law, a state budget must be enacted by April 1st. On March 18, 2008, Governor Paterson announced that he is proposing a $800 million cut in state spending in light of the worsening economic outlook projected for New York State.

Presently, NYS faces a $4.7 billion dollar deficit.

Additionally, the Division of Budget announced that our nation is now in a recession since there have been three consecutive months of job losses in the private sector. In light of this determination, Governor Paterson stated, “New York gets 20% of its resources from Wall Street. We are being hit harder by those effects than anyone else in the country.” He cautioned that the state’s projected revenue losses must be addressed to avoid emergency borrowing and deep cuts in services.

Paterson’s $800 million cuts come from a 2% reduction in the budgets of state agencies and 2% from other aid to local governments. Education funding and entitlement programs (i.e. Medicaid, Welfare) were not affected by the governor’s proposals. Former Governor Spitzer already made two reductions in his budget presentation, thus bringing the state’s budget proposal down $1.2 billion.
…the backdrop…

On Tuesday, March 18th, the Federal Reserve was blunt in its assessment that the country's economic health has worsened. "The outlook for economic activity has weakened further," the Fed said. "Financial markets remain under considerable stress and the tightening of credit conditions and the deepening of the housing contraction are likely to weigh on economic growth over the next few quarters.”

Chief Economist Pearl Kamer at the Long Island Association stated on March 18th, “I think we are in a recession. What the Fed did this week was try to prevent a deeper and longer recession. I suspect there are going to be widespread layoffs on Wall Street.”

"A lot of people on Wall Street work on Long Island," Gross of Penso Capital said. "All the major banks and brokerages are announcing cuts. It's going to hurt the Long Island economy."

…and the voters say…

It is clearly evident that the experts are projecting an ominous economic forecast for both our country and our state. Does the MTA's proposed $29.5 BILLION DOLLAR CAPITAL PROGRAM - which projects a $9 BILLION DOLLAR SPENDING GAP - reflect the resounding and unqualified demand for fiscal responsibility and restraint?

Like so many NY families who are adjusting their lifestyles to address the unstable economic times ahead, so must the NYS government - which includes the MTA! They must live within their means! In light of the budgetary shortfalls and disaster-bound construction schedules which plague the MTA's current mega-projects, how can NY voters support those who propose that our public tax dollars - like the MTA's proposed $29.5 billion capital plan - be appropriated for "lofty programs" in times that demand fiscal restraint???
So let the NYS leadership know your thoughts...

1. NYS Governor David Paterson
 2. NYS Senator Joseph Bruno, NYS Senate Majority Leader - 43rd Senate District
3. NYS Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the Assembly, 64th Assembly District
 4. NYS Senator Dean Skelos, 9th Senate District and member of the MTA Capital Program Review Board
 5. Ms. Astrid Glynn, Commissioner, NYS Dept. of Transportation and member of the MTA Capital Program Review Board
 6. Assemblyman Keith Wright, 70th Assembly District and member of the MTA Capital Program Review Board
 7. Senator Craig Johnson, 7th Senate District (representing 11040)
8. Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, 17th AD (representing Town of No. Hemp. 11040)
9. Assemblyman Tom Alfano, 21st AD (representing Town of Hemp., 11040)
Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 5:57 PM

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

MTA RELEASED PROPOSED $29.5 BILLION CAPITAL PROGRAM

Under NYS Law, an MTA Capital Program must be unanimously approved by a four member board known as the Capital Program Review Board. Approval of a capital program is presumed unless, within 90 days, a member of this board vetoes it. The members of this board are appointed by the Governor of New York, NYS Senate Majority Leader, the NYS Speaker of the Assembly, and the Mayor of New York City.

As a member of the Capital Program Review Board (CPRB), each member is responsible for reviewing, monitoring, and approving the MTA's proposed multi-billion dollar five year spending program. Since all capital programs must be unanimously approved, each member's power to veto enables him/her to pass and/or reject any proposal(s) presented to the CPRB.

On matters related to commuter railroads, Ms. Astrid Glynn (Commissioner, NYS Dept. of Transportation), Senator Dean Skelos (9th Senate District, Nassau County), and Assemblyman Keith Wright (70th Assembly District) are the members of the CPRB who must vote unanimously to pass commuter railroad-related transportation proposals. A veto by any one of these members can stop a proposed project as well as the allocation of monies to fund this project. Additionally, any individual on the CPRB can approve the project with stipulations added to an agreement. Mr. Doctoroff is the 4th member of the CPRB who votes on issues related only to NYC Transit proposals.

The MTA recently released its proposed $29.554 billion Capital Plan for 2008-2013 .

While the current MTA Capital Plan does not expire until 2009, the state congestion pricing legislation mandated submission of an accelerated 2008-2013 plan by the end of March. The plan identifies approximately $20 billion in expected funding sources, including $4.5 billion in bonds from congestion pricing. This Program leaves an approximately $9 billion gap to be filled, much like the 2005-2009 Program when it was first presented.

Tier 1: ($20.038 Billion)Core Program addresses core needs: state of good repair, normal replacement and system improvement. Funds in this category maintain and replace the transportation network’s visible and invisible infrastructure, which includes: 8,453 rail cars, 4,930 buses, 733 stations, 10 toll plazas, 197 toll lanes, 301 pump rooms, 524 power substations, 1,931 miles of track, 3,259 switches and 197 ventilation plants. Highlights of the core program in the new Plan include: 590 new subway cars, 2,976 buses, 440 commuter rail cars, 44 subway stations rehabilitations, and system-wide shop, yard and signal upgrades. Also included in this part of the program are Main Line corridor improvements to advance the Long Island Rail Road’s Third Track project. Tier 1 also includes programs such as $590 million to harden the system and upgrade security, as well as funding to support a new Business Service Center. The Plan also describes $2.508 billion in capital improvements for MTA Bridges and Tunnels.

Tier 2: ($26.304 Billion) Core Program and Completion of Current Expansion Projects - The second tier is for maintenance and improvement programs and to complete expansion projects which have been underway for several years: East Side Access, the first phase of Second Avenue Subway, Fulton Street Transit Center and the South Ferry subway station. The plan incorporates revised budgets and schedules for these projects based on a recently completed 30-day review. The review resulted in three major actions: completion dates were extended for the expansion projects to allow for smaller contracts, avoiding cost escalation due to single bidders on big contracts; project budgets were increased by approximately 12.8%, or $1.5 billion to reflect the overheated market. A total of $5.519 billion was included in the Plan to complete these projects.

Tier 3: ($29.554 Billion) Core Program, Completion of Current Expansions and New Expansion - The third tier of the plan combines the core program and current expansion projects with projects that begin to prepare the system for the supposed millions of new residents and jobs the MTA is projecting by 2030. These projects include: Communications-based Train Control ($1.4 billion), Second Avenue Subway Next Phase ($1 billion), Penn Station Access ($400 million): Jamaica Capacity Improvements ($150 million, #7 Line Fleet Expansion ($175 million), Capacity Planning Studies ($50 million) which provides for planning studies to improve existing service, Sustainability Investments ($50 million), Congestion Pricing Implementation - the plan includes $767 million in investments to support expanded transit service related to implementation of congestion pricing.

Editorial:
The MTA has admitted that budgetary shortfalls and disaster-bound construction schedules place the future of its mega-projects in serious jeopardy. For example, the MTA announced that it has no funds left to build the Fulton Street Transit Center as it was originally promised to residents and business owners, as well. Since 2005, this project has caused massive chaos, closed subway entrances, dug up streets and sidewalks, and damaged neighboring stores and office buildings - with no end in sight! It has evicted viable stores, restaurants and businesses and tore down six buildings. Track work has disrupted subway service as far as Brooklyn! Clearly aware of its impending deficits, the MTA plotted to scale back its original grandiose proposals - and, sadly, this newly scaled back version seems to renege on many promises that it made to affected commuters, residents, and business owners.

How can the citizens who live, work, and travel through the communities affected by the proposed LIRR Mainline Corridor-Third Track Project be assured that the budgetary shortfalls and disaster-bound construction schedules which plagued so many of the MTA's current projects will NOT be repeated in their own Long Island communities along the corridor?

In this era of economic instability and impending recessionary trends, what is the evidence that assures the homeowners and taxpayers affected by this megaproject that the PUBLIC FUNDS used to drive the MTA/LIRR Mainline Third Track Project will be used in a fiscally sound and responsible manner?!?!
Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 8:14 PM

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Local Officials Meet with the Federal Transit Administration

Floral Park Mayor Phil Guarnieri, Floral Park Trustee Tom Tweedy and New Hyde Park Village Clerk Patrick Farrell recently visited with officials of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to obtain the LIRR's Draft Environmental Impact Statement – a copious document which details the impact of the entire LIRR Mainline Corridor – Third Track Project along the mainline. Traditionally, the FTA does not release this document to the public until it has completed its own three month review of its contents.

Our local leaders presented the following points during their meeting with FTA representatives:

  • It is critical to release a copy of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement - all the exhibits and correspondence associated with it in order to get a clear picture on how the LIRR reached its conclusions.
  • After MTA/LIRR engineers and consultants took more than two years to put the DEIS together, at least 180 days of public review must be set aside to digest the information; this analysis should include the elimination of on-grade crossings and a definitive demonstration why this can't be accomplished without public takings.
  • Subsequent to this review period, the LIRR should hold public hearings in each of the communities along the mainline corridor.
  • The FTA does not "rubber stamp" the DEIS but must scrupulously review each and every aspect of this proposal.
  • The LIRR recently abandoned the reverse commute as its justification for the third track. It was replaced with a $1.3 billion proposal for a passing lane to fix broken down trains and give the LIRR the ability to improve operations by running extra trains each rush hour. Since the DEIS was originally based on a flawed foundation (i.e.: the reverse commute, etc.), the entire process was compromised and thus, should be started over again from scratch.

Representatives of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) assured our local officials that they:

  • have no intention of blindly sanctioning the DEIS,
  • will consider having more rather than fewer public meetings
  • do not favor meetings over the summer months because it will necessarily limit attendance and public participation
  • will ask the LIRR serious questions about the reverse commute justification as well as their sudden and recent about face regarding this issue
  • will investigate extending the normal 45-day public commenting period after the release of the DEIS.
  • refuse to release the contents of the DEIS to the public until their review has been completed

To read Mayor Guarnieri’s statement about this meeting in its entirety, please click on the link to the Village of Floral Park's website (to the left).

Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 11:01 AM

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Senator Johnson's Main Line Community Empowerment Act


NYS Senator Craig Johnson recently introduced legislation to the NYS Senate which will require that villages affected by the MTA/LIRR's Mainline Corridor-Third Track Project approve the plans before any construction could take place. The Bill - S7037 - states that the MTA "shall be precluded from approving any improvements to the mainline railroad track, for the purposes of building a third track," through the communities of Bellerose Village, Floral Park, Garden City, New Hyde Park, Mineola, Westbury, and the Towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay until the following conditions are met:
  • the boards of each of the villages and towns listed above pass a resolution approving the project
  • the boards hold at least one public hearing prior to considering the resolution
The MTA may not approve any improvements to the mainline track unless two-thirds of the villages and towns listed above adopt the resolution. The Bill is being transferred to the Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Senator Tom Libous.

Justification for the bill: The proposed project "has the potential to have devastating impacts on the local communities within the Mainline Corridor." Among these effects are: the decline of property values, increased noise pollution, increased traffic on north-south roads which will not have at-grade crossing eliminations, loss of tax revenues to affected school districts and municipalities.

The bill seeks to "empower local municipalities to preserve and protect its residents and the future direction of the communities they are charged with governing."

For more information about the Mainline Community Empowerment Act, please visit:
http://www.antonnews.com/westburytimes/2008/03/14/news/johnson.html

For more information about Senator Johnson's work regarding The Third Track Project please refer to his website at http://www.senatorcraigjohnson.org/main.cfm?actionID=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=cmpRepresenting&show=Third&s=johnson
Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 3:24 PM

Third Track Advisory Hearing - Floral Park, April 17th

Assemblyman Tom Alfano announced that the first hearing of the NYS Assembly Third Track Advisory Committee is taking place in Floral Park at John Lewis Childs Elementary School auditorium on April 17 at 7:30 p.m. The hearing's focus is to hear from the community and "send a message to the LIRR on the folly of their third track plan."

If you'd like to speak out that night you can reserve your time by calling Assemblyman Alfano's office at 437-5577 or emailing him at alfanot@assembly.state.ny.us. Assemblymembers Tom Alfano, Tom McKevitt and Rob Walker created the Assembly Advisory Committee to focus community discussion and efforts at fighting the project. Assemblymen Alfano and McKevitt are particularly concerned over the secrecy that LIRR has shrouded the project in and a recent study given to the federal government that is unavailable to local officials.

Assemblyman Alfano's Floral Park appointee to the committee is Vice-Chairman Timothy Dalton. Dalton serves on the committee with Jack Martins of Mineola, Dan Petruccio of New Hyde Park and Bill Wise of Westbury.

Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 3:16 PM

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

A CALL TO ACTION...

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) recently submitted the preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the MTA/LIRR's Main Line Corridor project to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Once the FTA reviews the environmental study, the document will be available for public review and LIRR will schedule additional public hearings. If the FTA completes its review by early next year, LIRR could conduct engineering design in 2009 and begin construction in first-quarter 2010.

What can you do?
  1. Continue to read Save Our Village's Blog at http://nhpsaveourvillage.blogspot.com, the NHP Village Website at http://www.vnhp.org for current updates about the project as well as any meetings scheduled for residents;
  2. attend NHP Village Board meetings on the first and third Tuesday of every month; ask questions, request information and inspire dialog about how this project affects you and your neighborhood
  3. help explore solutions to problems by volunteering on committees that are charged with addressing these and other related issues that affect our village's quality of life
  4. publicly support the NHP Village Board's opposition to the present proposals and support their effort to pressure the MTA/LIRR for alternative plans
  5. contact NYS Senator Craig Johnson (http://www.nyssenate7.com/) to demonstrate support of Bill S7037 which he sponsored in the NYS Senate; this bill requires that the villages affected by the MTA/LIRR's proposals approve the plans before construction can take place
  6. Contact NYS Senator Dean Skelos (http://www.nyssenate9.com/9/Biography.aspx); under NYS law, an MTA capital program must be unanimously approved by a four member board known as the MTA Capital Program Review Board. Approval of a capital program is presumed unless, within 90 days, a member of this board vetoes it. NYS Senator Dean Skelos, from the neighboring village of Rockville Centre, is a powerful member of this board. Urge him to veto the capital funding for this project and/or require stipulations in the plans which will protect our community from its devastating effects on our neighborhood.
  7. contact our federal representatives: Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (http://carolynmccarthy.house.gov) and Senator Charles Schumer (http://www.senate.gov/~schumer) to demand that they represent the needs of their constituents in the 11040 area and hold them accountable for their choices
  8. enlighten your neighbors with the knowledge you have gained about this issue and spread the news to family and friends across Long Island because this regional issue will reverberate within and beyond our borders for quite some time
Have ideas and comments that you wish to share?
Email the Sentinel: thesentinel11040@gmail.com
Posted by The Sentinel 11040 at 7:03 PM
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