So Where's Staten Island's Subway Line?

So now Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing his own version of a rail tunnel connection between Manhattan and New Jersey. Plans call for the No. 7 line to be extended to 12th Avenue and 34th Street on the West Side. But the mayor has floated the idea of extending the No. 7 subway line even farther, into New Jersey Transit’s hub at the Secaucus Junction station.

Hizzoner’s proposal would replace the abandoned plan to build a rail tunnel connecting Manhattan and New Jersey. That original proposal was killed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who said his state couldn’t afford it, even with federal and Port Authority subsidies. The governor also said that the current $8.7-billion cost projection for the ARC (Access to the Region’s Core) tunnel would turn out to be far below what the project would ultimately cost, given typical cost overruns.

“In 1898, when the boroughs voted to consolidate, Staten Island voted overwhelmingly to become part of New York City on the basis of two promises: A municipal ferry and subway service,” Ms. Savino said. “After seven years we got ferry service, but 112 years later we are still waiting on the subway. Staten Island is part of New York City, with over a half-million people. It is past time we have similar transportation alternatives that other boroughs have.”

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