A month ago, the MTA posted what Roosevelt Islanders saw as a subway nightmare during a track replacement project. The community protested, and our team of public officials swung into action. The MTA listened, and as a result, they have released a whole new plan that axes the most egregious closures.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
The Daily thanks Judith Berdy for the heads up.
The most recent election cycle birthed a powerful new coalition of elected officials representing Roosevelt Island. Starting with OMNY for the Tram-related issues, they’ve acted forcefully, advocating for the community.
Their efforts at stopping the subway nightmare announced last month gained a clear win for the community. Roosevelt Islanders can thank City Council Member Julie Menin, State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, State Senator Liz Kreuger and Congressman Jerrold Nadler for stepping up.
The revised plan is not perfect for everyone, but it’s as good as we’re likely to get, given the necessary and substantial work ahead.
See the new plan below, and we will attach a PDF you can download for future reference below.
*Note: There are no signs that RIOC or the Governor’s office played any role in helping the community here.
Replacing the Subway Nightmare
The first thing to know is that the remaining weekend total shutdowns have been eliminated. But be aware of the asterisk: *Weekend subway service is subject to change.
So, cross your fingers and hold your breath, but more importantly, thank our electeds and ask them to stick with it.
And the MTA takes a new approach. It’s at odds with the draconian subway nightmare originally proposed.
Instead of a take-it-or-leave-it list of restrictions in service, the new plan bases itself on identifying the changes coupled with solutions. It’s not just more empathetic, but it’s also much easier to understand. For every closing, there’s a clear solution.
Although travel times will increase in many cases, it won’t be by a lot. Probably the most difficult challenge will be adjusting to seeing fewer F Trains and a lot more M Trains. And that’s good. Ms are almost always less crowded.
Finally…
As track maintenance is inevitable, some inconveniences are not avoidable. But with this revised plan, the MTA did a great job of lessening the impact.
Plus, Roosevelt Islanders can celebrate this new period of effective activism among our elected officials.
The WIRE: Two Futures, One Empty Chair
It is December 6, 2015, and David Stone is writing to Dr. Jack Resnick about a chair that will soon be empty. Dick Lutz is preparing to leave the Main Street WIRE, and Stone has been encouraged to ask whether he might replace him. Seven years of covering art, Cornell Tech and questionable practices inside Public Safety have taught Stone how the paper tells an Island story.
