Transportation
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney always works to improve the quality of life in her district, and subsequently has focused on transportation issues that impact the lives of thousands of New Yorkers on a daily basis.
2nd Avenue Subway: Building the Second Avenue Subway has been one of her top priorities since Congresswoman Maloney was first elected to Congress. New York City’s subway system has not added capacity in over 60 years, and we need to expand. Passengers on the Lexington Avenue line have the dubious distinction of riding on the most overcrowded subway line in the entire nation. There is a limit to the number of people that can be crammed into one subway car, but the Lex line seems to have exceeded that limit. A Second Avenue Subway offers a much-needed alternative for commuters. The full length subway, which will run from 125th Street to lower Manhattan, will also reach underserved neighborhoods on the East Side. Read More
50th Street Facility: Several years after the completion of its Final Environmental Impact Statement for East Side Access, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) decided to amend its original proposal which would have spread certain ventilation systems and mechanical facilities across several locations and instead decided to consolidate them into a 16 story facility on 49-50th streets between Park and Madison Avenues (the “Facility”). This caused the business community, local residents and landmark preservation experts to express serious concerns about the plan. They reached out to Congresswoman Maloney for assistance and she joined in leading a vigorous campaign. As a result, the MTA completely revised its proposal in a way that satisfied the community's concerns. Read More
63rd Street Connector: One of the first major transportation projects Congresswoman Maloney championed as a member of Congress was the 1300-foot 63rd Street Tunnel Connector. The project consisted of ½ mile of new construction and 8 miles of rehabilitation work. Designed to relieve crowding on the E and F lines and make appropriate use of the 63rd Street Tunnel, it was completed in 2001. Congresswoman Maloney worked with her colleagues in the New York delegation, particularly then-Congressman Thomas Manton who brought the idea to President Clinton's attention, to obtain federal funding. With their support, the federal government contributed $306.1 million out of a total project cost of $645 million. Read More
East Side Access: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) proposes to build a new rail link to provide direct access for LIRR riders to Grand Central Terminal. The project would bring approximately 160,000 new passengers, including 5,000 residents of Western Queens, into Grand Central Station. Congresswoman Maloney has been a strong supporter of the East Side Access project, and has worked with her colleagues to procure Congressional earmarks for the project. Read More
Long Island City Links: Long Island City Links is an initiative being developed by the Department of City Planning that will lead to a comprehensive network of pedestrian, bicycle and transit connections between Long Island City residential and business areas and new parks, retail stores, and cultural institutions. Read More
Queens Plaza Roadway: Congresswoman Maloney has worked with the NYC Department of City Planning to redevelop Queens Plaza and transform it from a pedestrian's nightmare to a welcoming gateway to Queens and Manhattan. When completed, Queens Plaza will have better traffic patterns, improved crossings, bike paths and new open space. Most of the funding for this project comes from the federal government. Read More
L Train Repairs: During Superstorm Sandy, the 100 year old Canarsie Tube that brings the L Train under the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn was flooded with 7 million gallons of saltwater and was forced to close for 11 days. The MTA tells us that this was the subway tunnel most adversely affected by the storm, and that the aging and overcrowded tunnel needs additional upgrades. Ridership on the L Train has risen nearly 240% since 1990, with an increase of nearly 470% at Bedford Avenue alone. The MTA is proposing major repairs that will have a significant impact on commuters to and from Greenpoint in Brooklyn and 14th Street in Manhattan. As part of the repairs, the Canarsie Tube will be significantly upgraded, as will the 1st Avenue and Bedford Avenue Stations. Much of the cost of the repairs will be funded from the $5.4 billion in federal funds Congresswoman Maloney and her colleagues were able to obtain to help the MTA recover from Superstorm Sandy.
Documents/Reports:
11/8/2004 - Response from the US Environmental Protection Agency to Congresswoman Maloney
10/1/2004 - Letter from Citizens for a Safe East Fiftieth to Administrator Leavitt and Secretary Ridge
More on Transportation
New York, NY – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) greeted the news that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Supplemental Environmental Assessment for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway with the following statement:
NEW YORK, NY – Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) lauded an announcement that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYC EDC) have entered into a contract with NY Waterways to provide larger than planned ferry boats to carry passengers across the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan during the L Train shutdown. Maloney had been pressing the MTA to increase ferry capacity during the shutdown.
BROOKLYN — It was a celebration of sorts in Willamsburg on Monday afternoon as commuters and politicians cheered a small victory for L train riders with the impending shutdown just seven months away.
Monday the MTA announced plans to add a fourth bus line during the closure. It will take commuters from Williamsburg to 14th street, saving some riders as much as 20 minutes on their commute.
"That is a big, big improvement," said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. "We are thrilled that we have this extra line for Brooklyn and I thank the people with me."
"With approximately 400,000 riders per day, more than half of whom commute between Brooklyn and Manhattan, the L-Train is one of the most important elements of New York’s public transit system. The closure of the Canarsie Tunnel for the repairs needed in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, while necessary, will cause a major disruption to our city’s transit ecosystem.
"To begin, I think it is important to point out that the First Phase of the Second Avenue Subway has transformed the way people move around New York City. It offers an attractive alternative for people to travel from the East Side to the West Side, enabling Upper East Siders to have a one-seat ride to Times Square and the Theatre District. It provides Upper East Siders with a one-seat ride to Chinatown and Brooklyn. It also offers a one-seat ride to Penn Station and Port Authority, giving East Siders intermodal transportation options.
NEW YORK—Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) celebrated the news that the MTA will be adding another shuttle bus route from Bedford Avenue to 14th Street as part of the mitigation plan for the L Train shutdown. Maloney advocated on behalf of her constituents to the MTA in support of this shuttle route after attending local meetings and hearing the concerns of the community.
"I’m sorry I cannot be here in person, but I am in Washington voting. Thank you for holding this public forum so that you can hear the concerns and suggestions of the community. I believe it is very important to hear from the people who will be most directly impacted by this shutdown and who understand how their community will be impacted by the mitigation plan. For residents of Brooklyn who use the L Train, a proper mitigation plan is critical – a robust plan will ensure that they can reach their jobs and other destinations in reasonable time, a weak plan will cause businesses to close
"I’m sorry I cannot be here in person, but I am in Washington voting. Thank you for holding this public forum so that you can hear the concerns and suggestions of the community. I believe it is very important to hear from the people who will be most directly impacted by this shutdown and who understand how their community will be impacted by the mitigation plan. As you know, people in my district in Manhattan are concerned about the impact of traffic on adjacent streets and I believe we should have more information about what the Department of Transportation will be doing to mitigate tho
NEW YORK, NY -- In response to President Trump’s infrastructure plan, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) released the following statement:
“Like everything Donald Trump does, this plan is nothing but hype. After more than a year of big promises to rebuild our nation’s roads, bridges, and subways, this plan doesn’t add a single new federal dollar for infrastructure and would actually end up cutting the funding New York City needs to repair our subway system, extend the Second Avenue Subway, and fix Penn Station.