THE CITY
A
long-delayed study into whether it’s possible to reactivate a dormant
Queens rail spur is finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel, THE
CITY has learned.
The
MTA in 2016 committed to a planning and feasibility study looking at
the potential use of the Long Island Rail Road’s former Rockaway Beach
Branch, a 3.5-mile stretch of railway between
Ozone Park and Rego Park
that has been out of service since 1962.
The results of the study — for which the MTA awarded an $864,000 contract
to Systra Engineering in October 2017 — were supposed to be made public
last year. But MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan told THE CITY the
findings now will be released by the end of 2019.
“It’s like a national secret of some sort,” said Rick Horan, director of the Queens RAIL and WAY Task Force, which wants the space used for transit and parkland purposes. “Why is it delayed?”
Part
of a larger MTA and Port Authority analysis about Kennedy Airport
“one-seat ride” service, the study is examining “the operational and
physical feasibility” of having commuter rail or subway trains run on
the old Rockaway Beach Branch.
The MTA wouldn’t say what has delayed the process.
“They’ve
gone sort of radio silent and it’s very disappointing,” said Phillip
Goldfeder, a former Queens assemblymember who pushed for reactivation of
the line during his three terms in Albany.
“This is something that is
completely underutilized, something which could transform how people in
some parts of Queens commute.”
Since
Rockaway Beach Branch service ended 57 years ago, concepts for
restoring the railway have been floated in different forms. Much of the
space under what was once the LIRR’s Ozone Park station is now filled by
small auto-related and scrap businesses.
“Seems
like a waste of space up there,” said Barry Williams, 34, who works
near the elevated structure. “Why not do something with it?”
