South East Queens Civics Declare War on Van Wyck El

  A coalition of more than 100 Queens civic organizations and over 80 Southeast Queens religious leaders this week vowed to defeat the Port Authority’s proposed Van Wyck El as the project begins the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.The groups, members of CANT (Citizens Against the Nowhere Train), are opposed to the Port Authority’s proposed 3.1 mile elevated train that will run above the median of the Van Wyck Expwy. between Kennedy Airport and Jamaica Station in Queens.
The City Planning Commission on Tuesday certified the project for ULURP, an extensive public review process that entails a series of public hearings before, and votes by, Queens community planning boards, the Queens Borough President, the New York City Council and the Mayor.
Southeast Queens residents claim the project will force them to endure an estimated five years of construction-related pollution, increased traffic, hugely disruptive noise, as well as pile-driving vibration that will rattle and damage adjacent homes. They also claim that the project will never attract significant ridership and will stand as an unused neighborhood eyesore.
"This rail link will accomplish two things," said Charles Lucas, president of the South Ozone Park Coalition of Block Associations. "It will destroy our neighborhoods and waste $600 million of the public’s money."
Citing the fact that the Port Authority did not discuss the project with the community before developing the plan, Marie Allston, of the Concerned Neighbors of southeast queens, said, "This fight is just beginning. The Port Authority’s arrogance has brought the community together, and we are energized to challenge each of the many hair-brained aspects of this rail link."
"The Port Authority’s proposal will not reduce traffic on the Van Wyck and, worse yet, it includes no intermediate stops in Southeast queens," said Ruth Bryan of the United Neighbors of Southeast Queens. "It’s hard to believe that this train, which will destroy property values, will not even serve the community it disrupts."
Citizens Against the Nowhere Train is comprised of the Air Transport Association of America and more than 100 Queens community organizations including the Queens Civic Congress, the Committee for Better Transit, the Concerned Neighbors of Southeast Queens, the Mid-Queens Community Council and the South Ozone Park Coalition of Block Associations. Supporters of the Air Train include organized labor, the Association for a Better N.Y. and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.