There is more to the announcement by the MTA and LIRR that the Willis Avenue Bridge Grade Crossing, as part of the $2.6 Billion Main Line Third Track, was completed. “Willis Avenue reopens as LIRR grade crossings continue to be removed” (Robert Pelaez — Sept. 11).
There is an ongoing lawsuit between the Village of Garden City and MTA. This is resulting in delays for starting construction of the Denton Avenue rail bridge located in Garden City. It is the last of eight grade crossings to be eliminated as part of the Main Line project. Failure to resolve this could result in the overall project missing the anticipated December 2022 completion date. This could also result in increases to the $2.6 billion project costs.
It is true that future completion of the Main Line Third Track will bring a number of benefits. Safety for residents and commuters will improve with the elimination of eight major street level grade crossings. When trains periodically suffer from mechanical difficulties along this corridor, there will be new operational options to maintain service and minimize disruptions. Rush hour capacity should increase, providing opportunity for adding new services.
Contracts, totaling $1.95 billion toward the $2.6 billion project cost were part of a $3 billion MTA 2015-2019 Five Year Capital Program Amendment. This action increased the budget from $29 billion to $32 billion. They are paid for by adding $1.6 billion in long-term MTA debt. When they claim that the project is coming in on budget, the MTA doesn’t include millions in annual debt service payments, over the years, to cover the cost of borrowing money for financing this project.
In 2016 the Third Track Environmental Impact Statement to support the project was found to be in compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Former Gov. Cuomo, the MTA Board and other project supporters never questioned why the federal process was not followed. Without compliance with National Environmental Protection Act, the MTA forfeited opportunity to access FTA or Federal Highway Administration funding.
The LIRR has promised a 40 percent increase in rush hour service upon completion of the $2.6 billion Main Line Third Track. There is also reverse peak service increases on all LIRR branches planned in December 2022. This is dependent on completion of the $450 million Jamaica Station Capacity Improvements and $11.2 billion East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal being completed by December 2022. A significant portion of increased reverse peak service is anticipated to be provided on all branches operating on the Main Line.
Will delivery and acceptance for the ongoing LIRR $734 million procurement of 202 new M9 electric replacement cars be completed prior to December 2022? This contract is several years behind schedule. Some of the oldest M3 cars may have to stay around longer than planned before all new cars arrive. Instead of retirement, many M3 cars may have to remain for post COVID-19, East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal and increased reverse peak service starting in December 2022. How reliable will this older equipment be?
Amtrak has dreams of a new $105 billion High Speed Corridor Service between Washington and Boston. It would traverse Long Island via the Main Line Third Track with promised speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Is construction of the $2.6 billion Main Line Third Track designed to accommodate speeds of up to 200 miles per hour? .
In our new COVID-19 world, the MTA needs to re-evaluate previous anticipated future ridership growth projections for LIRR investments such as Third Track and ESA. Will there really be 60,000-plus new riders, utilizing the future East Side Access? How many years will it take before returning to pre-COVID-19 ridership numbers?
More people are going to continue telecommuting from home part or full time. There will be fewer face-to-face meetings and conferences, with increased usage of Zoom and other teleconference technologies. Many Manhattan-based corporations are downsizing existing office space. Others are relocating employees to suburban offices closer to home.
Was investing $2.6 billion for Third Track and $11.2 billion for East Side Access worth it? The verdict is still out. Time will tell.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
(Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.
