Rockaways $190M MTA spruce-up BY NICHOLAS HIRSHON
DAILY NEWS WRITER
You must take the A train to get to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem - but pretty soon, you may not have to deal with crumbling infrastructure in the Rockaways.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants to begin work this fall on $190 million in upgrades to nine peninsula stations on the only subway line that connects the southernmost part of Queens to Manhattan.
"We're dependent on the A train - that's if you don't drive," said Steve Cromity, transportation committee co-chair at Community Board 14, which covers the Rockaways. "It's a one-horse town. We need some help."
The plans, which still must be approved by the state Legislature, would likely include improvements to platforms, stairs and canopies, electrical work and a public address system, said MTA spokesman Charles Seaton.
Locals are optimistic the proposal will pass.
"It'd be a breath of fresh air for the users," Cromity said. "I've taken the train myself and I know what the existing situation is."
Four other Queens stations, all on the M line, are set to be rehabbed in 2010, Seaton said.
The Forest Ave. stop would get $28.3 million, followed by $25.9 million for Fresh Pond Road, $23.7 million at Seneca Ave. and $15.2 million at Metropolitan Ave.
Cromity figured current conditions in the old, crumbling Rockaways stations depress many straphangers.
"It's got to make people feel better about themselves," he said.
"There are two bodies of water you have to go over, and sometimes the track freezes up, and you're literally up the creek without a paddle."
7 comments:
You know, I never though they would do it.
Thank god, it's about time the "M" train got a little respect.
These are the kind of "improvements" this city needs.
I'm sorry, but what's with that opening line? It's so poorly written and makes no sense.
"You must take the A train to get to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem - but pretty soon, you may not have to deal with crumbling infrastructure in the Rockaways."
I agree, that lead threw me also. i guess trying to do just a little too much.
Someone from the MTA should visit the Rockaway Blvd train station on the "A" line in Ozone Park...it's the major transit hub in this part of the borough, with numerous bus lines diverging there and a major transfer point on the "A" line for the Rockaway Beach, JFK and the Lefferts lines - the station is literally falling apart and crumbling...What will it take to get it fixed...a tragic accident or fatality..?
The M train stations definitely need a rehab.... particularly Seneca Avenue, Central Avenue, and Knickerbocker Avenue stations. They haven't been touched for years.
They should not even bother with Knickerbocker and Central Ave, they have a hard enough time keeping Myrtle Ave graffiti free and the locals continualy kick out the stained glass wind protectors at Broadway.
They should only rehab stations the community will take care of them.
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