From the Daily News:Getting to and from Rockaway is the single biggest issue hampering the quality of life of local residents, according to a new report released yesterday.
The lack of good transportation also is stalling important economic development on the peninsula, say members of the Rockaway Task Force who compiled the report.
"Buses stop in Howard Beach and then come to Rockaway empty to go to a depot," said Dan Mundy, a member of the task force. "Instead of switching buses, why can't people stay on that bus to Rockaway?"
Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14, said it often takes residents from Rockaway longer to get into Manhattan than people who commute from parts of Suffolk County.
Recommendations in the report include a pilot program to provide morning and evening express subway service on the A line, more showers and concessions along the boardwalk, and elimination of the Cross Bay Bridge toll.
The group also said it was opposed to construction of housing in Arverne East, saying that area should be set aside for retail development that would create jobs for the community.
12 comments:
Clearly the city has a long history of failure to revive or to make practical - living, working and as a destination to Rockaway.
First - they built and isolated a huge complex of project housing isolating the poor here so that they are trapped on a peninsula far from Manhattan.
The city has the worst urban renewal record of failure. Rezoning is difficult to achieve successfully when crime ridden public housing remains. It should all be torn down. The biggest draw to this area is the beach and ocean itself - the waterfront. If a casino in Ozone Park is built why not here where there is space, the ocean to draw visitors overnight?
Here's a newsflash. It takes three hours to get from Albany to NYC, so generally people don't expect to live there, and work in NYC. Do I need to site more unfavorable geographic example pairs? Get the idea? Why, for the past 50 years, there has been an expectation on anyone's part that living in the Rockaways and working in Manhattan (or further) would be compatible, continues to amaze me. Here's an idea...move!
What's wrong with the subway that runs right through the peninsula?
Duh! They needed a task force to come to that conclusion. If convening that task force cost the city 1 single dime it is a primo example of sheer govt waste.
There is morning and evening express service to and from the Rockaways, as well as during the afternoons and weekends.
People, the Rockaways will be under water in 50 years anyway, washing away those nasty projects with it!!!
Why is there always some urban planning "savant" who thinks the answer to the problems of outlying areas is simply to move away from them? Rockaway is part of New York City and the residents there are no less important than those who live near its financial hub. The idea that these people somehow deserve fewer city services because they leave too far away is absurd.
I agree with one poster in that I don't know why it took a task force to come up with the very basic ideas of improving public transportation options and eliminating unfair tolls that unduly burden Rockaway residents. I agree with another poster about the city's complete inability to properly drag Rockaway out of the morass its been in since before most of us were even born.
Comparing Rockaway to Albany? There was a perfectly usable rail line that ran from Rockaway to Manhattan in 35 minutes - might I add they accomplished this amazing feat 50 years ago. It was ripped up but the right of way remains.
And it will be reopened over the dead bodies of the people who live by it. The genie is out of the bottle.
There's this thing called the A train (the longest subway line in NYC) which runs right through Rockaway.
I see no problem here except for the vermin that lives in Rockaway now.
Sir Beef -
And the last time that I looked, the A train runs as an express at most times of the day.
Rockaway could be what the city needs in terms of drawing in money for the economy. This area can be the next hamptons. The geography is perfect, mins to JFK, easier to drive to, boardwalks, beautiful ocean and lovely new condos. The tolls should be eliminated in both bridges. Instead get even more money from investments. Folks, this place is a goldmine yet these politicians are too stupid to realise how much of a help to the NY economy this would be if developed properly.
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