Readers Write: MTA’s expansion of service good news for North Shore

The Island Now

The article, “MTA to expand service to PW, through Mineola,” in the July 26 Manhasset Times is great news. 

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Thomas Prendergast and Long Island Rail Road President Helene Williams are supporting the programing of increasingly hard to come by dollars which will support resumption of half-hour weekend service on the Port Washington LIRR branch. 

This proves once again why it pays to live in Great Neck, Manhasset, Plandome, Port Washington and Roslyn along with our Queens neighbors in Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Auberndale and other northeast Queens neighborhoods. 

Those of us in the know already moved to communities adjacent to LIRR Port Washington branch stations years or even decades ago. 

My own Great Neck school district, along with those in other neighborhoods nearby the Port Washington LIRR branch, are some of the best in the metropolitan New York area. We have great air quality along with a low crime rate, abundant parks, libraries, shopping, entertainment, movie theaters, hospitals and medical facilities.

Riders on the Port Washington branch have far more abundant seating and a quick 30 minute or less trip into Penn Station without having to change at Jamaica like LIRR commuters on other branches. 

Port Washington branch riders miss most service disruptions. The return of half-hour weekend service on the Port Washington LIRR branch for riders is a nice gift to offset future planned fare increases in 2015 and 2017.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

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