Long Island Railroad passengers object to possible changes to the service line.
Some say they are angry that the LIRR will steal one of the express train services.
According to LIRR, a second public meeting was held on Thursday on the proposal that the Port Washington branch would have direct access to the east side of Manhattan, with 70% more service in the morning and 43% more in the evening.
Critics say these figures reflect pre-pandemic service levels.
North Shore commuters are also upset that the proposal will take away access to express trains.
Eric Dejong says the Metropolitan Transit Authority needs to be more transparent about what the proposal actually means.
“The MTA needs to restore these express trains immediately, stop providing misleading best data in new statements, and work with North Hempstead to provide more compression.” says Dejong.
There will be more rush hour trains at the Port Washington branch, but they will be split between two Manhattan terminals.
Currently, 14 Port Washington trains leave Penn Station in the evening. That number he cuts to ten, and ten more go outside Grand Central Station.
An environmental group has decided that the MTA will cut traffic by offering train service to more people who don’t use trains, such as those in Queens who have alternatives to buses. I am grateful for that.
If passed, the proposal is likely to come into effect in December.