[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11459-11460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    EAST SIDE ACCESS AND SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY CRUCIAL NEW YORK CITY 
                        TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, in New York City there are two 
crucial transportation projects: the East Side Access and the Second 
Avenue Subway. These two projects would provide the New York region 
with the first significant expansion of transit capacity in over half a 
century.
  The MTA is moving forward with both projects on a fast track. Because 
they will be intersecting benefits and impacts, they need to advance 
together. The New York delegation is united in wanting to provide 
support to these projects in this year's title III appropriations bill. 
We have joined the MTA in requesting $149 million for the East Side 
Access and $20.5 million for the Second Avenue Subway.
  The Committee on Appropriations had made a very serious mistake by 
providing only $10 million for the East Side Access and absolutely no 
funding for the Second Avenue Subway. This is a terrible decision that 
seriously undermines New York's ability to meet its transportation 
needs for the 21st century.
  The New York City region is the largest transit market in the United 
States with nearly 8 million daily trips. Our subways and railroads 
have twice the ridership of the rest of the Nation's rail system 
combined.
  At the same time, the MTA is the most efficient transit system in the 
country, covering over 60 percent of its operating cost from the fare 
box. New York City is serious about the need to continue investment in 
our transit system. The MTA expects to fund over 70 percent of its 
2000-2004 capital program with city, State and internal resources, a 
commitment of over $12 billion.
  New York State has included $1.05 billion for the Second Avenue 
Subway and its MTA 5-year capital plan and $1.5 billion for the East 
Side Access. The MTA is committed to funding 50 percent of the cost for 
the Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access.
  The Second Avenue Subway, which will run from East Harlem to the tip 
of Manhattan and provide for eventual extensions into the Bronx, 
Brooklyn, and Queens, is the most important project to the MTA's 
agenda. It will bring subway service to underserved areas of Manhattan, 
enable East Side Access passengers to travel to their jobs, and provide 
relief to passengers on the Lexington Avenue Subway, which is the most 
overcrowded subway in the entire country. The east side of Manhattan is 
one of the most densely populated areas in the country. We are 
continuing to grow in population, but our communities are served by 
only one subway line. We have neighborhoods with over 200,000 residents 
per square mile, and many must walk 15 or 20 minutes to reach the 
nearest subway. The project is vitally important to the economic health 
of the New York region.
  The East Side Access will connect the Long Island Railroad to 
Manhattan's East Side, enabling over 70,000 Long Island and Queens 
residents to reach their jobs in the Grand Central terminal area, the 
most densely populated business district in the United States.
  70,000 East Side Access riders cannot fit on the Lexington Avenue 
line, which already carries thousands of riders more than it was 
designed for. They need the Second Avenue line. Unless these new riders 
have another transportation option, they will overwhelm the Lex, and 
reduce the capacity with disastrous results for people who live in my 
district and Manhattan and Queens, as well as those who live in the 
Bronx and Brooklyn.
  The Second Avenue Subway, which will provide an alternative route to 
hundreds of thousands of riders, is the only solution to this problem. 
The Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access have the support of the 
New York delegation, the MTA, the governor, and the mayor. What is 
more, the Second Avenue Subway has had the financial support, serious 
support from the City, the State, and the Federal Government.
  It makes absolutely no sense for Congress to stop funding the Second 
Avenue Subway now that it is underway by providing only $10 million for 
the East Side Access and no money for the Second Avenue Subway. This 
transportation appropriations bill gravely shortchanges the New York 
metropolitan region and undermines our financial future.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues and particularly the New York 
delegation to vote against the transportation bill when it comes to the 
floor because the Second Avenue Subway was not continued in its 
funding. It is a safety hazard, a transportation hazard and it is just 
plain wrong, particularly when the State has committed over $1 billion 
to fund this project.
  Mr. Speaker, in New York City there are two crucial transportation 
projects--East Side Access and Second Avenue Subway.
  These two projects would provide the New York Region with the first 
significant expansion of transit capacity in over half a century.
  The MTA is moving both projects forward on a fast track.
  Because they will have intersecting benefits and impacts, they need 
to advance together.
  The New York delegation is united in wanting to provide support to 
these projects in this year's Title III appropriation.
  We have joined the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 
requesting $149.5 million for East Side Access and $20.5 million for 
the Second Avenue subway.
  The Appropriations Committee has made a serious mistake by providing 
only $10 million for East Side Access and no funding for the Second 
Avenue Subway.
  This is a terrible decision that seriously undermines New York's 
ability to meet its transportation needs for the 21st Century.
  The New York City Region is the largest transit market in the United 
States; with nearly 8 million daily trips.
  Our subways and railroads have twice the ridership of the rest of the 
nation's rail systems combined.
  At the same time the MTA is the most efficient transit system in the 
country, covering over 60 percent of its operating costs from the 
farebox.
  New York is serious about the need to continue investment in our 
transit system.
  The MTA expects to fund over 70 percent of its 2000-2004 Capital 
program with City, State, and internal resources, a commitment of over 
$12 billion dollars.
  It has included $1.05 billion dollars for the Second Avenue Subway 
and $1.5 billion dollars for East Side Access in its Capital Plan.
  The MTA is committed to funding 50 percent of the cost for the Second 
Avenue subway and East Side Access.
  The Second Avenue subway, which will run from East Harlem to the tip 
of Lower Manhattan, and provide for eventual extensions into The Bronx, 
Brooklyn, and Queens, is the most important project on the MTA's 
agenda.
  It will bring subway service to underserved areas of Manhattan, 
enable East Side Access passengers to travel to their jobs and provide 
relief to passengers on the Lexington Avenue line, which is the most 
overcrowded subway line in the country.
  The East Side of Manhattan is one of the most densely populated areas 
of the country.
  We are continuing to grow in population, but our communities are 
served by only one subway line.
  We have neighborhoods with over 200,000 residents per square mile, 
where many must walk 15 or 20 minutes to reach the nearest subway.
  This project is vitally important to the economic health of the New 
York region.
  The MTA is moving forward quickly with its plans to build the subway.
  It has completed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the upper 
portion of the line and is working on a Supplemental DEIS for the 
remainder of the project.
  Additionally, the MTA has completed a screening of qualifications and 
developed a

[[Page 11460]]

short list of three consultant teams for the engineering and design 
consultant for this project.
  It is currently preparing a request for proposals and it will award a 
contract and begin work on preliminary engineering this year.
  East Side Access will connect the Long Island Rail Road to 
Manhattan's East Side, enabling over 70,000 Long Island and Queens 
residents to reach their jobs in the Grand Central Terminal area, the 
most densely developed business district in the United States.
  Each of these riders will see their daily journey to work reduced by 
over 30 minutes.
  The Final DEIS has been completed.
  East Side Access received $8 million from Congress last year and 
$370.6 million from the State under the MTA Capital Plan.
  The MTA has awarded contracts for engineering for tunnels in November 
1998 and for the rest of the project in February 1999. They are 
awaiting a record of decision from the FTA.
  It is the consensus opinion of most elected leaders in New York that 
these two projects must be completed together.
  Seventy thousand East Side Access riders cannot fit onto the 
Lexington Avenue line which already carries thousands of riders more 
than it is designed for--they need the Second Avenue Subway.
  Unless these new riders have another transportation option, they will 
overwhelm the Lex and actually reduce its capacity, with disastrous 
results for people who live in my district in Manhattan and Queens, as 
well as those who live in The Bronx and Brooklyn.
  The Second Avenue subway, which will provide an alternative route to 
hundreds of thousands of riders, is the only solution to this problem.
  The Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access have the support of the 
New York delegation, the MTA, the Governor and the Mayor.
  What's more, the Second Avenue Subway has had the financial support 
of the City, the State and the Federal government.
  The Speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, held up the MTA Capital 
Plan until he received a commitment for a full-length Second Avenue 
Subway. As a result $1.05 billion is budgeted for the Subway in the 
MTA's five year.
  The Manhattan Borough President, C. Virginia Fields, committed $1 
million from her budget for the Subway. The Second Avenue Subway was 
authorized under TEA-21 and last year, Congress provided $3 million in 
new start funds.
  It makes no sense for Congress to stop funding the Second Avenue 
Subway now that it is underway.
  By providing only $10 million for East Side Access and no money for 
the Second Avenue Subway, this Transportation Appropriations bill 
gravely short-changes the New York Metropolitan region and undermines 
our financial future.
  I urge my colleagues, and particularly the New York delegation, to 
vote against this Transportation Appropriations bill.

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