Brooklyn Elected Officials Release Joint Statement Regarding MTA’s Proposal for F Train Express Service

For Immediate Release

May 17, 2016

Contact:

John Schaefer (CM Lander)

718-499-1090

jschaefer@council.nyc.gov

Brooklyn Elected Officials Release Joint Statement Regarding MTA’s Proposal for F Train Express Service

Council Member Brad Lander, Council Member Stephen Levin, State Senator Daniel Squadron, State Senator Jesse Hamilton, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, State Senator Kevin S. Parker, and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon released the following statement regarding the MTA’s Proposal for Express Service along the F line in Brooklyn:

“We are extremely dismayed by the utter lack of process on the part of the MTA regarding proposed new F-Express service between Church Avenue and Jay St-MetroTech stops in Brooklyn. The proposed service change harms more people than it helps, ignores our request for increased service, and pits Brooklyn residents against each other, creating ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ without sufficient information or dialogue.

We made clear from the start that we could only support an F-Express if overall service was increased on the F line and riders at local stops were not harmed. The MTA promised to share information with the community before making a decision – including information about what service increase would be needed to avoid harming riders at local stations.

Instead of providing a fair process, the MTA blindsided our communities, announcing the proposal in a newspaper, before providing any information to community stakeholders or the elected officials representing these areas.

The MTA’s own report shows that the total number of riders who will suffer under this proposal is actually greater than the number of riders who will benefit. F-Express service would benefit riders in Southern Brooklyn, and at the Church Avenue and 7th Avenue stops. But it would come at the expense of longer commute times for riders at Ft. Hamilton, 15th St, 4th Ave, Smith/9th, Carroll St, and Bergen St., as part of a commute on a line that is already unreliable, overcrowded, and sub-par. Half of the trains that now serve those stations would skip them, causing delays of 5 minutes or more.

In addition, according to the MTA’s own report, the proposed F express will severely exacerbate station congestion and travel delays at both the Bergen Street and Carroll Street stations. At Bergen Street, the MTA’s report predicts a nightmarish crowd, with a wait nearly five times longer for commuters trying to exit the Warren Street stairwell during the evening rush hour. The MTA admitted it hasn’t even factored that additional congestion into the increased commute time for all riders using those stations. Riders at the Bergen and Carroll Stations will lose more travel time than riders at any single express stop will gain. This is an unacceptable outcome.

On behalf of riders, at both local and express stops, we are furious at how the MTA has handled this proposed change, and refuse to accept it as a done deal.

We will work with riders on the F train, local stakeholders, and one another to demand increased and improved F service that doesn’t compromise riders on local stops and pit communities against one another, and a better process from the MTA going forward.”
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