Study to Address Staten Island Transportation Deserts

Residents of Staten Island suffer from very long commutes, and many rely on cars. The New York City Council has proposed a study to determine how additional transit could be implemented in the borough.

1 minute read

December 5, 2015, 7:00 AM PST

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


The comprehensive study, to be conducted by the Department of Transportation, would examine neighborhoods like Mariners Harbor. These 'transportation deserts' are "marked by a dearth of transit options and lower median incomes compared to other parts of the city."

Increasing access to transit on Staten Island is one segment of Mayor Bill de Blasio's OneNYC plan. "The city aims to ensure 90 percent of residents can reach at least 200,000 jobs by transit within 45 minutes by 2040. Mariners Harbor is the only Staten Island neighborhood considered a 'priority area' where lack of public transit affects economic status."

Light rail and bus rapid transit are both on the table. From the article: "Another measure would require the agency to determine the feasibility of building a light rail system in the five boroughs [...] But the city thinks both these reviews should be incorporated into an upcoming study on bus rapid transit mandated by the Council in April."

Thursday, November 12, 2015 in SI Live

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