By Larry Penner
What is missing from “LIRR Station on Main St. Waits for 2017” (June 19 issue) is construction of the long-forgotten Flushing Intermodal Bus Terminal. In the early 1960s Flushing Municipal Parking Lot 1 was thought of for construction of an intermodal bus terminal. This facility would take hundreds of buses off the surrounding streets, where they discharge and pick up riders. For over 50 years, generations of public officials, on a bipartisan basis, have failed to secure any funding necessary to support environmental review, design, engineering and construction of this badly needed transportation improvement.
From the 1960s to today, there has been an explosion in the number of commuters riding buses to Flushing and transferring to the subway. This has been complemented by a huge growth of commercial businesses accompanied by the demolition of homes to support construction of apartment houses and multi-family homes in the surrounding neighborhood. Just walk in any direction from the corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue in downtown Flushing and see for yourself. Buses traveling to, from and through downtown Flushing move at slow speeds due to excess traffic not only during rush hour but also off peak. This results in a longer commute for riders and periodic bunching of buses on many routes.
Construction of a climate-controlled intermodal bus terminal could assist in improving traffic and pedestrian circulation in and around the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue along with the rest of downtown Flushing. Over 60,000 rush hour No. 7 subway riders and thousands more off peak would be protected from heat, cold, rain, snow and winds. There could be a smoother transfer between the bus and subway. Opportunities would still be available for air rights above the bus terminal for parking, joint development of retail, office and/or residential units, including affordable housing.
How disappointing that no elected official has ever stepped forward to honor this commitment from decades ago. The New York City Department of Housing, Preservation and Development recently announced plans to build 260 units of affordable housing which would also reserve 60 units for seniors at the Flushing Municipal Parking Lot 3. This facility is located just off of Main Street adjacent to the Flushing Long Island Rail Road station. It is only two short blocks away from the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue along with the Flushing 7 subway station. While there are other locations in and around Flushing for construction of affordable housing, Municipal Lot 3 is the last opportunity for construction of any viable intermodal bus terminal that could provide reasonable bus to subway transfers.
Why not combine this project with plans to improve the existing Flushing LIRR station? Use Municipal Parking Lot 3 for building an intermodal bus terminal instead of current plans for construction of affordable and senior housing. Over 60,000 rush hour plus thousands more off-peak riders could benefit by a transportation improvement versus less than 1,000 potential housing tenants. Diogenes is still looking for any MTA board member or public official to add this project to the MTA’s proposed 2015-2019 Capital Plan.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
