COLUMNS Why Not Hourly Oyster Bay To Hunters Point/Long Island City LIRR Service?

Both Hunters Point and Long Island City continue to grow with thousands of new residents, businesses and office workers. The LIRR currently runs a handful of trains AM rush hour in one direction westbound from Jamaica to Hunters Point and LIC and eastbound in the PM rush hour. Why wasn’t service added in both directions rush hour along with hourly off peak? The Hunters Point #7 subway station is just down the block from the LIRR Hunters Point Station. Two stops on the #7 in less than five minutes places you at Grand Central Terminal. There are easy connections to both street level and the 42nd Street Lexington Avenue station #4,5,& 6 subway lines. Contrast that attempting to reach street level from LIRR Grand Central Madison Terminal - 15 stories below ground. It requires 8 or more minutes upon arrival at Grand Central Madison before you can access the 42nd Street Lexington Avenue Subway Station. The LIRR Long Island City station is within walking distance to both the #7 Flushing Vernon Blvd. Jackson Ave station (one stop less than three minutes from Grand Central Terminal) and the LIC

PENNER STATION

Larry Penner

NYC Economic Development Corporation private ferry landing with connections to 34th Street and Pier 11 adjacent to Wall Street and the Financial District.

Hourly service off peak and evenings could also include stops at Woodside, Forest Hills and Kew Gardens. Why not run this service beyond Jamaica to include the Oyster Bay Branch as well. Virtually all Oyster Bay branch trains terminate in Jamaica. Add stops to Hollis, Queens Village, Elmont UBS Arena, Bellrose and Floral Park. All of the above would promote promised 40% LIRR increased service in Queens along with reverse rush hour and off peak commute opportunities. Why not run this service between Oyster Bay to Hunters Point and Long Island City hourly in both directions from 6 AM to Midnight. This would also offer Oyster Bay commuters consistent hourly service which is available on most other LIRR branches.

— Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region

2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for NJ Transit, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NYC Transit bus, subway and Staten Island Railway, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads, MTA Bus, NYCDOT Staten Island Ferry along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.