Always so much drama with the L train. A group of Manhattan-based coalitions and co-ops have sued the MTA and other state and federal agencies over the impending L-train shutdown. (Just one year away!)
Here's Town & Village on the suit, which was filed Tuesday:
The suit accuses the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the city Department of Transportation and the Federal Transportation Administration of ignoring the needs of disabled riders along the L line, and disregarding the communities who’ll be dealing with constant congestion from diesel-spewing buses.
According to the attorney representing the groups, dubbed “the 14th Street Coalition,” Arthur Schwartz, the FTA “has failed to enforce compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) even though the nearly $1 billion project is being federally funded.” The MTA and DOT meanwhile, he said have failed to prepare a required Environmental Impact Statement, which he said would have compelled the agencies to be more responsive to community input.
Per NBC 4:
MTA spokesman Jon Weinstein said in a statement that the agency does not comment on pending litigation, but added that “the repairs to the Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel are desperately needed to ensure the tunnel’s structural integrity so we can continue to provide safe and reliable subway service to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who depend on the L train every day.”
Read more on this at The New York Times and Curbed.
The shutdown of the L — between Bedford Avenue and Eighth Avenue to repair the Sandy-damaged Canarsie Tunnel — is expected to last 15 months with a start date of April 2019.
There are a bunch of stations in Manhattan being closed for months to install phone chargers. Its unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteTraffic is going to be impacted. No doubt. Pedestrians will be inconvenienced. Continue to to try to work out better solutions, but don't delay the subway work even one day. This work must be done.
ReplyDeleteNot only is the MTA closing down almost a dozen stations for 6 months in order to install phone chargers, they will also be putting in new clocks, pretty looking murals, and LCD lighting strips on the handrails, amenities which no one will care about as they are being shoved into oncoming train traffic due to the overcrowded platforms.
ReplyDeletere: chargers and murals
ReplyDeleteAnd it's going to cost billions, while essential infrastructure continues to break down.
Fuck the MTA.
https://impunitycity.wordpress.com/
This wel intentioned lawsuit wil do nothing than prolong the agony of this stop in service.
ReplyDeleteThe shutdown has been postponed long enough. If we, as members of this community, continue to file lawsuits and pointless junctions, we prolong the inevitable; this only fuels more chaos and problems. I guess we're just going to have pull together as a community and support one another throughout the duration of the project. I don't remember where I read it, but there was an article that surfaced which suggested floating bridges between BK and Manhattan to ease the flow of foot and bike traffic. Probably to expensive and time consuming, but a good idea. My only concern is the congestion of people in and around 14th street, especially in the Union Square area. I already avoid that area like the plague because of the influx of pedestrians and bikers. With the addition of more buses, I see a shit show of epic proportions. And, as a long time residents, most of us know how slow the MTA truly is. I don't foresee a year and half. I foresee at least two years, if not more. It took forever to repair the R line in Brooklyn, even when they said it wouldn't take long. Sorry, I am not trying to be negative here, but the only solution appears to be suck it up and deal with it. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI just found the article that 9:25 was referring to:
ReplyDeletehttps://ny.curbed.com/2018/2/19/17027464/l-train-shutdown-proposal-east-river-pontoon-bridge-parker-shinn
It is a great idea I reckon. However, if it took this long to have repairs done on the L line, how long would it take to implement floating bridges? I'd say the city was a day late and a dollar short. They should have considered this years ago. Oh well. I agree. We will have to suck it up.