Post by 45localbus on Jan 21, 2009 23:05:48 GMT -5
Transit advocates held a mock funeral today to mourn the loss of the Z line, which the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has put on the chopping block.
"Yea, though the Z walks through the valley of the shadow of death, it will fear no MTA plan," said Gene Russianoff of the transit advocacy group, The Straphangers Campaign.
While the Straphangers Campaign staged the mock funeral with tongue firmly in cheek, it says the loss of the Z train is no laughing matter. Along the same line, the MTA plans to shorter the M train and eliminate J/Z skip-stop service.
Although the agency will add extra J trains, the changes will add time to riders' commutes.
"Someone coming from Parsons Boulevard-Jamaica will have about seven minutes added to their trip one-way," said Russianoff. "So when you calculate that twice a day, five days a week, that's an hour of additional commuting time those riders are going to have."
Advocates though say the Z train can be brought back from the dead, if Albany acts on the recommendations of the Ravitch Commission and provides the MTA more funding.
"I'm here to tell you that we believe in resurrection," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. "And we believe that this battle, which now heads to Albany, we have not yet begun to fight."
The protest comes one day after more than 400 people turn out to speak out about the MTA's proposed fare hikes and service cuts. Held at a hotel in Midtown, the MTA's first of eight public hearings ran nearly eight hours, wrapping up after 1 a.m.
Riders of all ages told board members how the fare hikes and service cuts would affect them.
"I'm a little sad that they're cutting those trains," said one young rider. "How are the M-train people going to get to work? Please don't cut the W, M, and Z trains. I like that they are all new. Thanks for letting me speak."
"In the 1970s, most of your express trains ran 24 hours," said another rider. "That needs to be returned."
The MTA says that without help from Albany, it would have to raise single-ride bus and subway fares as high as $3 and cut certain bus routes and train lines to close a $1.2 billion budget deficit.
"I think the public is obviously extremely upset with the proposed service cuts, with the fare increases," said MTA Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Elliot "Lee" Sander. "And so I don't think we think this is unfair; we just hope that Albany listens and acts to provide the funding that we need."
To prevent the changes, the Legislature would have to take action by March 25.
The second hearing will be held next Tuesday in Queens.
Source NY 1