Proposal for Passenger Service

On the Lower Montauk Branch

 Table of Contents
2

3 Proposal 11 Real Estate Map

4 JFK Connection 12 Benefits of State Leadership

5 Freight Service 13 Railroad Connections West

6 Disinvestment 14- Railroad Connections East

7 Tech Corridor 15 Transportation Deserts

8 Next Economy 16 Destination Queens

9 Employment Density 17 Supporters

10 Real Estate 18 Supporters Continued

19 Supporters Continued
The Proposal
3

QNS is a proposal to introduce passenger rail

service on the Lower Montauk Branch of the
Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).

A feasibility study for the project was recently

funded in the FY17 NYC budget for $500,000.
AECOM was selected as the contractor.

The right of way is owned by the MTA and

therefore there will be no acquisition cost to the
State.

The Lower Montauk Branch is 8.5 miles long

and runs through Queens from Long Island
City to Jamaica through the neighborhoods of
Maspeth, Ridgewood, Middle Village, Glendale,
and Richmond Hill.
Potential Connection to JFK Air Train
4

New York has been looking

for a JFK rail connection
since the 1960s.
Lower Montauk can connect
to the JFK Air Train near
Jamaica.
Air Trains max speed is 60
mph much slower than LIRR
passenger trains on the main
line.
Air Train runs smaller train
lengths than LIRR.
Penn Station is at capacity.
Utilizing the Lower Montauk
would allow existing air train
rolling stock to reach L.I.C.
 Freight Service
5
The branch had infrequent
passenger service until 1998.
New York & Atlantic, has been
contracted to handle LIRR Freight
since 1996, compared to other
short line railroads, NY&A has an
inferior safety record.
According to the 1996 transfer
agreement, NY&A has paid about
$635,000 per year. But if the
R.O.W was monthly parking it
could make $36,469,440 per year.
Only 2 freight trains a day utilize
the Lower Montauk Branch.
LIRR Passenger trains already
share the Mainline with freight
trains.

Courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox

100 Years of Disinvestment within mile
6

70% of the Buildings

were Constructed
between 1910 and 1930.
New construction since
1980 amounts to only
5% of the buildings
within mile of the
R.O.W.
The area has suffered
from disinvestment due
to lack of rail service.

Courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox

 Tech Corridor
7

Industrial Zones in Long Island

City, Maspeth, and Jamaica.
The current zoning of M3 in the
Maspeth Industrial Zone allows
for Bio-tech uses.
The City needs affordable space
for new technological and
biological firms with reliable
transit service.
University Express : This line
can be an important link
between Cornell Tech on
Roosevelt Island and York
College in Jamaica.

Courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox

 Next Economy
8

Since 2011 the citys manufacturing sector has grown by thousands of jobs.
Manufacturing now makes up 2.1% of the citys private sector jobs.
Areas where NYC is ahead
3D Printing
Metal and Wood Fabrication: Film industry.
Food & Beverage: Craft Beer
Biotech: Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island and CUNY York Campus Extension

Picture: Finback Brewery Economic Data: Center for an Urban Future

 Employment Density
9

Data from US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Transportation Planning Package, at the census tract level
Real Estate
10

Long Island City: 19,000 units of

housing in the past decade and
22,000 are expected to be
developed.
Jamaica: Over 700 hotel units
planned and over 700 units of
housing planned.
Maspeth: Chetrit Group 8 acre site
on top of rail line. (57-46 56th
Street)
Chetrit Group is open to building a
station at their site.
Major Commercial Hubs: Shops at
Atlas Park & Metro Mall at Rentar
Plaza, Queens.
Macerich, the owner of Atlas Park is
open to developing a station.
Real Estate Map
11
Benefits of State Leadership
12

4,102,968 sqft of sellable air

rights.
In 2015, the MTA sold 478,000
square feet of air rights to Queens
Plaza Park Development for $56
million.
If the MTA sold all of its air rights
on the Lower Montauk for this
price it would generate
$480,682,444.
67% of the lots within mile of
the right of way is underbuilt by
50% of more under the current
zoning.
Over 1000 acres of unused
development rights exist under
current zoning.
Railroad Connections West
13

Connection to the LIRR

Bushwick Branch to East
Williamsburg at Bushwick
Junction which meets the L
trains at Montrose Avenue.
Can alleviate commuters
burdened by the L train tunnel
repairs.
Rockaway Beach Branch at
Glendale Junction.
Bay Ridge Branch at Fresh Pond
Junction.
Connection to the main line at
Jamaica Station and the
Montauk Cut-Off.
Railroad Connections East
14
Transportation Deserts
15

Only 1/3 of Queens is accessible

by Subway.

A transportation desert is
defined as an area greater than
mile from a subway station.

mile is about a 10 minute

walk.
In most of the area the line runs
through, there are greater than
26,000 residents per square
mile.

This is denser than areas on

Long Island with LIRR service.

The Lower Montauk Branch

service would greatly reduce the
coverage gap in the
transportation network.
 Destination Queens
16
Today, more people from Queens are travelling
within Queens.
This graph illustrates that 41% of Queens residents
work in Queens.
Greater intra-borough transportation is needed to
meet this demand.
The current subway system is overburdened and
oriented to get people from Queens to Manhattan
not to transport them to other destinations in
Queens.
The average commute time for a resident in the
Maspeth/Middle Village/Glendale area is 39.4
minutes each direction.
QNS Would get cars off the road and decrease
commute times.

Forman, Adam. "Fast City, Slow Commute." Center for an Urban Future
 Supporters
17

Gregory W. Michael Gianaris Toby Ann Stavisky

Meeks NY State Senate NY State Senate District
5th Congressional District 12 16
District of New
York

Grace Meng Leroy Comrie

New York State Melinda Katz
6th Congressional
Senate District 14 Queens Borough
District of New
President
York

Carolyn Joseph P. Melissa Mark-

Maloney Addabbo Jr. Viverito
12th Congressional New York State City Council
District of New Senate District 15 Speaker
York
 Supporters Cont.
18

David I. Weprin Michael Dendekker

Alicia Hyndman
New York State Assembly District 34
Assembly District 29
Assembly District 24

Michael Michael Miller

Simanowitz Vivian E. Cook New York State
New York State New York State Assembly District
Assembly District 27 Assembly District 32 38

Andrew D. Hevesi Ydanis Rodriguez

New York State Clyde Vanel New York City Council
Assembly District 28 Assembly District 33 Transportation
Committee Chair
 Supporters Cont.
19
Supporters: Stake Holder Committee:
Queens City Council Delegation: Queens Borough President
Paul Vallone District 19 Greater Jamaica Development Corporation
Peter Koo District 20 Grover Cleveland High School
Julissa Ferraras-Copeland District 21
NYC DOT
Costa Constantinides District 22
Barry Grodenchik District 23 Richmond Hill High School
Rory I. Lancman District 24 Queens Chamber of Commerce
Daniel Dromm District 25 Queens Community Board 5
James Van Bramer District 26 Queens Community Board 2
I. Daneek Miller District 27 Senator Leroy Comrie
Ruben Wills District 28
Queens Metropolitan High School
Karen Koslowitz District 29
Donovan J. Richards District 31 Knockdown Center
Eric Ulrich District 32 Long Island City Partnership
Antonio Reynoso District 34 Macerich Company
Queens Community Boards: Sutphin Boulevard B.I.D.
2,5,6,9,12 Broadway Stages
Edward C. Coppola, President Macerich Company Myrtle Avenue B.I.D.
Thomas J. Grech, Executive Director Queens Senator Addabbo
Chamber of Commerce Forest Hills Civic Association
Walter Sanchez, Publisher/Editor Queens Ledger Maspeth Federal Savings Bank
Glenn Greenidge, Executive Director Sutphin B.I.D Council Member I. Daneek Miller
Theodore M. Renz, Executive Director Myrtle Avenue B.I.D
Jukay Hsu, Founder Coalition 4 Queens