Proposed overhaul of Flushing LIRR's . . . 'LOST STATION'

[mark1447]

Flushing • Willets Point • Corona Local Development Corporation (LDC) believes the time is now to invest in downtown Flushing’s public transportation infrastructure to provide access to what is arguably the city’s most rapidly developing neighborhood.

 

A massive overhaul project introduced by the LDC known as the Flushing Transit Oriented Development (TOD) plan addresses what the LDC calls an overburdened No. 7 subway line while significantly redeveloping and modernizing the Flushing Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Station.

 

Additionally, the TOD has formulated two proposals, both of which include the construction of affordable housing, senior housing, commercial stores and a more accessible parking area. The LDC believes the Flushing TOD will facilitate greater use of the Flushing LIRR station, address traffic and pedestrian congestion and provide the growing population with a reasonable place to live.

 

 

“Flushing is growing by leaps and bounds,” said Claire Shulman, former Borough President and chief executive officer and president of the LDC, who called the Flushing LIRR the “lost station” due to its lack of signage and inaccessible conditions. “The No. 7 train is hugely oversubscribed . . . this is a great project for the people of Flushing.”

 

The program consists of three 13-story buildings, a two-level parking garage and an LIRR station in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that include waiting areas on each platform side, a small retail space, two new elevators, a connecting overpass between tracks and a platform extending towards College Point Boulevard to a total length of 1020 feet. Currently, the Department of Transportation (DOT) owns Municipal Lot 3, the land on which TOD hopes to build their project. While the project is not yet a “go,” it does have buy-in from the MTA and the DOT as well as support from various Flushing groups, according to Shulman’s office.

 

“Flushing is experiencing an enormous amount of growth in an exceedingly concentrated area that not only strains the existing mass transportation infrastructure but also overwhelms the sidewalks, the local parking options and more,” said Nick Roberts of the LDC. “As an additional 3,500 residential units are expected in Flushing during the next 10 years, the LDC believes the TOD is really the only tenable option to counter the area’s swelling congestion.”

 

Source with a Photo preview here:

 

http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2011/03/24/news/top_stories/doc4d8b3f060694e592388652.txt

[7LineFan]

My only question is where they are going to put this housing and retail.

[lilbluefoxie]

it might be a refurbished Shea Stadium station with elevators and non-crumbling platforms

[7LineFan]

it might be a refurbished Shea Stadium station with elevators and non-crumbling platforms

 

No, this is clearly the Flushing-Main Street Station.

[metsfan]

Both main street & willets point need a major overhaul. Willets point especially in terms of the platforms as they were built quickly & cheaply for the world's fair. The platforms & sad ass canopy are between 30 and 47 years old. They should rebuild it with a proper mets theme & elevators. Maybe even re-align the tracks to have wider platforms.

 

As far as main street, some more lighting (LED) and more signs would be a good start. Re-designed station could help, i mean trenton just got done with a major renovation and it seems busier than ever & people use it who didn't use the train before because it went from a dingy glorified bus stop to a modern transit hub.

 

- A

[Forest Glen]

The westbound platform at Flushing is not at an obvious location. It's hidden behind some Chinese restaurants.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Do they have anymore renderings? And will the overpass be replaced?

[3rd Avenue El]

LIRR has stations near shea stadium, corona, and flushing?:confused:

[Amtrak7]

The westbound platform at Flushing is not at an obvious location. It's hidden behind some Chinese restaurants.

 

Correct. Also note that they plan to build some of their TOD on what is now a pretty expensive DOT parking field. (25 cents per 10 minutes) They also want to tear down the big parking garage a few blocks away to build more buildings. There will be a parking crisis!

 

What the station needs is to demolish the ticket office, build an elevator on each side, an overpass, and stairs to/from the parking garage. Better signage will help.

[Nova RTS 9147]

Both main street & willets point need a major overhaul. Willets point especially in terms of the platforms as they were built quickly & cheaply for the world's fair. The platforms & sad ass canopy are between 30 and 47 years old. They should rebuild it with a proper mets theme & elevators. Maybe even re-align the tracks to have wider platforms.

 

- A

 

Instead of realigning the track, they could get rid of all but the two tracks they actually use and rebuild the station from there.

[checkmatechamp13]

LIRR has stations near shea stadium, corona, and flushing?:confused:

 

Yes. It has a stop at Flushing and a stop at Shea Stadium (open game days only) on the Port Washington Branch.

 

I can't really see an increase in the ridership of the station unless they lower the fares. The fare to Penn Station is $8.75 during peak hours and $6.25 during off-peak hours, whereas taking the to the , , or can get you there for $2.25 (or for free if you had to take a bus to get there)

 

In addition, the LIRR only serves Penn Station. When ESA comes along, it will serve Grand Central, but the fact is that the offers easier connections to more places in Midtown.

[Amtrak7]

Yes. It has a stop at Flushing and a stop at Shea Stadium (open game days only) on the Port Washington Branch.

 

I can't really see an increase in the ridership of the station unless they lower the fares. The fare to Penn Station is $8.75 during peak hours and $6.25 during off-peak hours, whereas taking the to the , , or can get you there for $2.25 (or for free if you had to take a bus to get there)

 

In addition, the LIRR only serves Penn Station. When ESA comes along, it will serve Grand Central, but the fact is that the offers easier connections to more places in Midtown.

 

The station is used in the reverse-peak direction as much as or more than the peak direction.

[checkmatechamp13]

But how does it relieve the (7)/<7> if it goes in the opposite direction?

[GarbageTruckJuice]

This is long overdue, the Flushing LIRR station looks pitiful.

[NX Express]

I think an interesting incentive to draw riders to the LIRR from the is to make the Flushing-NYP ticket cheaper: $3.50, for example.

[checkmatechamp13]

That would probably work, considering the fact that the Flushing Line doesn't directly serve Penn Station.

[traildriver]

If I am not mistaken, it has long been the policy of the LIRR, and probably to some extent MNCR as well, to discourage ridership between midtown and stations that are also served by the subway, by charging much higher fares as compared to similar distances fares are charged in the suburban counties.

 

They probably do not want to crowd out riders to stations beyond subway territory that do not have the choice of using the subway unless transferring to a bus beyond.

 

For those that want the faster and more comfortable ride that the commuter trains offer, they still have the option, but have to pay dearly for it.

 

If the fare say from Flushing to Penn Station on the LIRR was lowered to $3.50, which would even undercut the express buses, it would probably result in severe overcrowding.

[checkmatechamp13]

So then they could lower it to $5.50, which is the same as an express bus fare. Right now, I think it is $8.75 during peak hours and $6.75 during off-peak hours.

 

I think that there is a chance that they could reduce the number of runs (or even totally eliminate) routes that parallel the LIRR (for instance, the QM21 and X68).

 

The problem is that LIRR doesn't offer the fare benefits that express buses do (free transfers and an Unlimited MetroCard that can also be used on local buses).

 

In any case, I would think that having to add a couple of short-turn LIRR trains would be cheaper than the cost of running buses in the corridor. If the LIRR Branch that serves Laurelton (I forget the name of the branch) had fares of $5.50 to Manhattan and $2.25 to Jamaica (the same fare as the local buses and express buses in the area), the MTA would probably save money by running fewer buses.

 

Personally, I hope that, once the SmartCard comes out, they'll install fare control at all LIRR and Metro-North stations and be able to offer free transfers to connecting services.

[Shortline Bus]

So then they could lower it to $5.50, which is the same as an express bus fare. Right now, I think it is $8.75 during peak hours and $6.75 during off-peak hours.

 

I think that there is a chance that they could reduce the number of runs (or even totally eliminate) routes that parallel the LIRR (for instance, the QM21 and X68).

 

The problem is that LIRR doesn't offer the fare benefits that express buses do (free transfers and an Unlimited MetroCard that can also be used on local buses).

 

In any case, I would think that having to add a couple of short-turn LIRR trains would be cheaper than the cost of running buses in the corridor. If the LIRR Branch that serves Laurelton (I forget the name of the branch) had fares of $5.50 to Manhattan and $2.25 to Jamaica (the same fare as the local buses and express buses in the area), the MTA would probably save money by running fewer buses.

 

Personally, I hope that, once the SmartCard comes out, they'll install fare control at all LIRR and Metro-North stations and be able to offer free transfers to connecting services.

 

 

Then when that happens you could have a strike by MNRR/LIRR Conductors and station agents. You may no longer need any station agents at all to sell tickets.

The won't need that many station agents/conductors if you did install 'smartcard' turnstiles at MNRR/LIRR station.

[Amtrak7]

Then when that happens you could have a strike by MNRR/LIRR Conductors and station agents. You may no longer need any station agents at all to sell tickets.

The won't need that many station agents/conductors if you did install 'smartcard' turnstiles at MNRR/LIRR station.

 

Station agents and conductors will still need to be employed, since one has to sell/refill smartcards and because not all the outer stations have the turnstiles/tap ins, conductors will still need to walk through and check.

 

Conductors are also required by FRA rule.

[Nexis4Jersey]

If I am not mistaken, it has long been the policy of the LIRR, and probably to some extent MNCR as well, to discourage ridership between midtown and stations that are also served by the subway, by charging much higher fares as compared to similar distances fares are charged in the suburban counties.

 

They probably do not want to crowd out riders to stations beyond subway territory that do not have the choice of using the subway unless transferring to a bus beyond.

 

For those that want the faster and more comfortable ride that the commuter trains offer, they still have the option, but have to pay dearly for it.

 

If the fare say from Flushing to Penn Station on the LIRR was lowered to $3.50, which would even undercut the express buses, it would probably result in severe overcrowding.

 

Thats ridiculous , one would think they would want more ridership. I guess the MTA doesn't know how to run a RR properly. Its not like 100,000s more people are going to cram the system....

[traildriver]

Thats ridiculous , one would think they would want more ridership. I guess the MTA doesn't know how to run a RR properly. Its not like 100,000s more people are going to cram the system....

 

Maybe yes, maybe no. But the fares speak for themself if you compare city zone fares with travel in the outer zones over similar distances.

In addition, the LIRR tried a few years ago to close many lightly used stations in the city terminal zone, but were thwarted by city politicians.

[Amtrak7]

If I am not mistaken, it has long been the policy of the LIRR, and probably to some extent MNCR as well, to discourage ridership between midtown and stations that are also served by the subway, by charging much higher fares as compared to similar distances fares are charged in the suburban counties.

 

Correct. MNR fares are mileage-based, and there is a $5.25 surcharge for travel into Manhattan (CT rates). A similar surcharge exists for NY-rates.

 

NYP-Jamaica off peak is $6.25, Jamaica-Rosedale is $3.25. The fares are such that the MTA gets more revenue from the majority of riders. One can go Westhampton-Montauk for $2.75 anytime, a distance comparable to Brentwood-NYP, which costs $16.25 peak.

[traildriver]

There are many other examples of carriers not wanting certain traffic between their stations. Amtrak nationally serves many suburban stations that are also served by local transportation systems. In some cases, Amtrak simply prices themselves out of competing, in others they place actual restrictions on traveling solely between the downtown and the suburb. Often, their service is faster, and certainly more comfortable, but they do not desire to carry such local traffic.

[T to Dyre Avenue]

If I am not mistaken, it has long been the policy of the LIRR, and probably to some extent MNCR as well, to discourage ridership between midtown and stations that are also served by the subway, by charging much higher fares as compared to similar distances fares are charged in the suburban counties.

 

They probably do not want to crowd out riders to stations beyond subway territory that do not have the choice of using the subway unless transferring to a bus beyond.

 

For those that want the faster and more comfortable ride that the commuter trains offer, they still have the option, but have to pay dearly for it.

 

If the fare say from Flushing to Penn Station on the LIRR was lowered to $3.50, which would even undercut the express buses, it would probably result in severe overcrowding.

The problem with that is there are MNCR and LIRR stations in the Bronx and Queens that are beyond subway territory. Bronx and Queens residents at those stations get charged (or overcharged) nearly as much as their neighbors in Westchester and Nassau Counties. Not surprisingly, many people settle for taking buses to the nearest subway stop. It's no surprise that so many buses converge on the train at Main Street and it's also no surprise that those bus routes range from standing room only at best to severely overcrowded at worse when arriving and leaving from Main St. And it's no surprise that the and trains are overcrowded arriving and leaving Main Street as well.