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Re: Maps and Problems with Rockaway ROW

Posted by RonInBayside on Sun Jul 23 08:07:54 2006, in response to Re: Maps and Problems with Rockaway ROW, posted by WillD on Sun Jul 23 01:42:14 2006.

"At the very least Oasis tells us that the building and the parking lot constructed on the Rockaway Line are separate parcels. In the eventuality that those parking lots were constructed completely legally it'd be very simple for the MTA to reacquire the land for the construction of a light rail and a bike trail."

No, it wouldn't be simple at all. Title transfer would be simple, that's true. But the intended use leads to complications. If I were living there I would not oppose this. But my neighbors would, and probably would hang me in effigy for my attitude.

"I have some shocking news for you, some folks will ALWAYS be against something that has the potential to disrupt their neighborhood. However, a vocal minority should not be allowed to hold a minimum impact project such as this one up."

I agree with you 100%

"If the MTA actually cared about building a Rockaway Line transit line then undoubtedly they'd be able to get out a message to fight the misinformation put out by the NIMBYs. In the absense of that information from the MTA the NIMBY's message has permiated and clearly folks such as yourself have fallen for it hook line and stinker. The right of way is largely almost 50 feet wide, and provides plenty of room for a light rail line, bike path, and a healthy number of trees to be built to screen the houses from the line."

I sympathize with you. However: Look what happened when MTA tried to extend the N train to La Guardia Airport. The train would pass behind, what a block's worth of apattment buildings? And MTA was going to use modern elevated construction methods (probably a T or Y-bent structure with noise barriers and welded rail). But the "opinion leaders" got a hold of the City Council speaker and he basically jammed everything up. I think the real reason is that Astoria residents have a sense of entitlement to empty seats when they get on and they don't want to have to stand because the Manhattan-bound train arrives full of airline passengers with their suitcases. MTA fought the battle for a while and then gave up. If you want to explore the whys of this, start a conversation with the agency and they will clue you in to some reality.

"How could I happen to look beyond the shortsighted objections of these NIMBYs and think of the improvement to Queens transit which the light rail would provide? And why on earth would we want to build a 30 million dollar a mile LRT when we could instead build a 150 to 200 million dollar a mile open cut or cut and cover subway?"

I'm not criticizing that. I like that. I admire your idealism. Maybe I should have said that from the start. OK, I apologize for not doing that. So now you know.

But telling you you don't consider all the pieces of the puzzle isn't condescending; it's reality. Give it 5 years and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

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