I was born and raised in Rockaway and now my wife and I are raising our two children here.
It’s unfortunate that it took a natural disaster forRockaway to finally receive the attention we desperately need for better transportation alternatives.
Community leaders and residents have been struggling and fighting for too long and as we discovered with Sandy, the severe lack of quick and accessible transit options has proven to have detrimental repercussions.
Now is the time to help rebuild our homes and economy, but more importantly prepare and create a resilient Rockaway for the future by investing in our transit infrastructure.
Revitalize the Rockaway Beach Rail Line.
The rail line would offer a permanent and viable transit solution for the millions of hard-working families all across Queens and provide them with safe, affordable and expedient access to other parts of the borough and a manageable commute to midtown Manhattan. There are over 2.3 million local residents in Queens who would greatly benefit from the complete restoration of the Rockaway Beach Rail Line. Residents and local small business owners agree that the current lack of public transit options in Queens is strangling their businesses and hurting our families. The tracks exist, the right of way exists, the infrastructure, although in need of repair, still exists – if we want to improve Queens transportation and stimulate economic growth for future development of our borough – the complete restoration and rehabilitation of the abandoned Rockaway Beach Rail Line is our best option. I recently partnered with the Queens College Urban Studies Department to announce an objective and comprehensive study to determine the best options for the abandoned tracks. The Queens College Department of Urban Studies’ Office of Community Studies is renowned for its community-based research and as our neighbor; their interest is on Queens and helping our city move forward. The study will assess local transportation patterns and needs, as well as impact, cost, and feasibility for proposed uses of the abandoned rail line.
Keep Our Ferry.
Utilizing Rockaway's waterfront for ferry service to create easy and efficient transportation must continue and be made permanent. The economic activity generated by ferry use far outweighs the cost of the subsidy. Although the Rockaway ferry service was not included in the final city budget, our community will not give up the fight. I am severely disappointed in City Hall and the Economic Development Corporation for ignoring the transit needs of southern Queens and Rockaway families. Like every other borough in the city, we deserve an affordable, efficient and reliable means of transportation. I started a petition to continue our fight. Please sign today at www.KeepRockawayFerry.com
Invest in our Roadways.
While we have made tremendous progress in our Sandy recovery, we must not overlook the most basic necessity, which is our ability to evacuate our families quickly and safely. Due to our geographic isolation, our communities in Rockaway and southern Queens have limited arteries that serve as evacuation routes, including the Nassau Expressway, Beach Channel Drive and Cross Bay Blvd. During peak hours, these thoroughfares are already congested and unable to support the heavy flow of traffic. I have teamed up with Nassau County Legislature Howard Kopel to call on Governor Cuomo to invest in our infrastructure and fix our roads and evacuation routes. Waiting for another emergency to address some of these issues will be too late! You can join our fight to invest in our roadway infrastructure and sign my petition here:www.FixOurRoadsNow.com.
While Sandy may have slowed us down, it has not deterred our spirit and desire to recover and grow. We have a long way to go, and investing in Rockaway's transportation infrastructure is the right choice. More accessible transportation will increase public travel options for every borough and city resident, help our environment, boost our struggling economy and increase intra-borough connectivity to create jobs for our residents and increase customers for local businesses. Now is the time to help rebuild our homes and economy, but more importantly prepare and create a resilient Rockaway for the future by investing in our transit infrastructure.
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