NYC COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION CHAIR RODRIGUEZ ON L TRAIN SHUTDOWN AND NEXT STEPS FOR TRANSIT RIDERS
New York, NY, - Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the City Council Committee on Transportation, issued this statement following today's announcement by the MTA that they will suspend service on the L train line between Brooklyn and Manhattan in 2019 for at least a year and a half.
"The L train serves as a vital inter-borough connection with hundreds of thousands of riders each day. With important repairs planned for the tunnels under the East River, set to shut down service in and into Manhattan for well over a year, it is crucial that the MTA and New York City put in place smart solutions to keep New Yorkers moving. A great way to maximize efficiency across the 14th Street corridor above ground would be to make this a transit-only street from 8th Avenue to Avenue A. Closing the street to car traffic would ensure buses move at speeds similar to trains and provide more space to cyclists and other active transportation modes. We can expect a major spillover effect onto buses and bikes once the L train suspends service and we must ensure people can move quickly across town when it does. I applaud Borough President Brewer, Senator Brad Hoylman and Council Member Johnson for highlighting this proposal and am committed to support efforts to make it a reality."
