Passenger Trains > NYC considers new light rail line

NY Times reports on a new Brooklyn Queens street car proposal by Mayor Bill DeBlasio. The long discussed plan takes the East River route, rather than a several blocks inland alternative. The area used to be industrial, and is changing to seven figure condo converts.

Mayor Bill has not been associated with grand transportation projects in the past. But the BQ rail plan has been contested by rival real estate interests. Properties near the street car will soar in value. Where ever it goes.

The area has built up dramatically, and is among the hottest in the country. The area a few blocks inland, the other alternative, is more mixed, and in need of better transportation.

One question is whether the city has the political will to limit on street parking, create barriers, etc. The Boulevard of Death fiasco, and the ongoing 34th and 42nd street bus mess isn't encouraging.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/nyregion/mayor-de-blasio-to-propose-streetcar-line-linking-brooklyn-and-queens.html

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Good gawd.  They've been working on the 2nd Avenue Subway for decades and can't get that done.  Let's do that first.

Second Ave construction is in full swing, tunneling is complete if I recall correctly. 

Building in in the street is way cheaper and faster. 

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Second Ave construction is in full swing,
> tunneling is complete if I recall correctly. 
>
> Building in in the street is way cheaper and
> faster. 

Yes to shorter and faster.

But the second avenue subway has been redefined and divided into sections. So, the section up to 96th has been tunneled. But the 96 to 125 is still in design, and South of 42nd is in pipe dream stage.

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I wonder if this proposal will inspire diehard Dodgers fans to bring back the team back to Brooklyn.  (For those not familiar with the team's history, it was the when the team was in Brooklyn, it was named for Brooklyn's residents who supposedly mastered the art of dodging trolleys).

The idea put forth in the article that Michael Bloomberg's transportation planning can be compared to Robert Moses is truly over the top.  Shame on the reporter.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/16 12:06 by darkcloud.

" For Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat focused on social reform, the plan also represents a shift to the kind of ambitious Robert Moses-style planning that New Yorkers more often associate with his predecessor, former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who made transportation a hallmark of his tenure."

New Yorkers never associated Bloomberg or Del Blasio with Robert Moses. Stupid author.
Robert Moses was out to destroy everything on steel wheels in NY, caused a disinvestment in rail that we are still paying the price for, and fantasize that everyone should drive everywhere on his badly engineered Parkways, decimated many working class neighborhoods to build them, declaring them "slums", then loaded people into Project highrise super blocks, which then became dangerous areas.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> march_hare Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Second Ave construction is in full swing,
> > tunneling is complete if I recall correctly. 
> >
> > Building in in the street is way cheaper and
> > faster. 
>
> Yes to shorter and faster.
>
> But the second avenue subway has been redefined
> and divided into sections. So, the section up to
> 96th has been tunneled. But the 96 to 125 is still
> in design, and South of 42nd is in pipe dream
> stage.
>
> Posted from Android

Like I said....

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/16 12:27 by darkcloud.

darkcloud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> joemvcnj Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>  > New Yorkers never associated Bloomberg or Del
> > Blasio with Robert Moses. Stupid author.
> > Robert Moses was out to destroy everything on
> > steel wheels in NY, caused a disinvestment in
> rail
> > that we are still paying the price for, and
> > fantasize that everyone should drive everywhere
> on
> > his badly engineered Parkways, decimated many
> > working class neighborhoods to build them,
> > declaring them "slums", then loaded people into
> > Project highrise super blocks, which then
> became
> > dangerous areas.
>
>
> Don't forget how he gave smallpox blankets to
> women, children, minorities, and the Brooklyn
> Dodgers, while feeding them poisoned dog food in
> his concentration camps.  And invented
> hurricanes.
>
> But lucky for you, he didn't ban Cuckoo clocks.


 Robert Moses, may he forever rot in hell.  Apparently his friends owned a lot of Cuckoo clocks.

Not to especially defend Robert Moses, but his improvements ( the parkways, seven bridges and tunnels) left the city and its suburbs in good shape.

Probably would have been better if the Put was still in place though.

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NY Times picks up the story of the Queens streetcar. They note the study supporting it was funded by developers, and there are questions about the breadth of demand from "the people".

The Jersey City urban light rail is doing fine, however.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/16/nyregion/what-planners-of-brooklyn-queens-streetcar-line-can-learn-in-new-jersey.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fnyregion&action=click&contentCollection=nyregion&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

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NY Times is really on this story. A second story uses the Washington DC streetcar as a lesson.

I have to believe developers who would like a different alignment are making an impact on the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/nyregion/washington-streetcar-stumbles-could-benefit-de-blasios-plan.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=9&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2016%2F02%2F27%2Fnyregion%2Fwashington-streetcar-stumbles-could-benefit-de-blasios-plan.html&eventName=Watching-article-click&_r=0

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The Wall Street Journal reports that federal authorities are looking into reports of real estate developers "feeling an obligation to give" when the mayor's bundlers call.

The proposed alignment of the Queens streetcar was hotly contested, and eventually sent to the shore route. Greatly aiding developers there

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