Senator Gianaris Blasts MTA for Leaving Out Western Queens, Again

(Astoria, NY) For the second time in as many rounds of MTA service restorations, the MTA did little to nothing to relieve the transit problems faced every day by the residents of western Queens. At the 30^th Avenue N and Q station in Astoria, Senator Gianaris continued to advocate for mass transit options in western Queens and repeated his call for the MTA to improve service in Queens neighborhoods.

“For the second time the MTA has seen fit to restore service across the city but has ignored western Queens. The MTA’s drastic cuts in 2010 hit our area particularly hard, and since then western Queens has continued its dramatic growth as home to New York’s hottest neighborhoods,” said Senator Gianaris. “As western Queens continues to grow, our transit infrastructure must keep pace. Right now mass transit in our area is being left behind.”

Senator Gianaris was pleased to see that G trains will run more frequently during certain parts of the day, but much more needs to be done to help the hundreds of thousands of people who travel between Queens and Manhattan and within western Queens each day.

Since the MTA drastically reduced service in 2010, Senator Gianaris has advocated for the restoration of the QM22 Express Bus Line and the W train line, both of which were lifelines for western Queens residents and were ignored in a round of citywide restorations in 2012. Before plans for this round were announced, Senator Gianaris called on the MTA to see to it that the pressing transit needs of western Queens residents are met with much-needed service restorations and improvements.

Residents of western Queens have complained for years that the 7 train – which is closed each year for a dozen or more consecutive weekends – needs improvement. The N and Q line has its share of consistent delays and service interruptions, which makes it overly difficult to get between Queens and Manhattan. In addition, buses like the Q69, Q104 and Q101 are all common subjects of complaint for not arriving frequently enough. Issues on the Q103, which runs from Hunter’s Point to Astoria, will continue to grow exponentially as the Hunter’s Point South development progresses and Astoria continues to thrive as a residential and business destination.

Though Senator Gianaris was pleased to see the MTA restore service across the city, the lack of improvements in western Queens was disappointing.

“As western Queens continues to thrive, I will continue to advocate for improved mass transit in our area,” Senator Gianaris promised.

#   #   #