Our public transportation systems are flawed, mismanaged, and broken, to say the least.
We rely on MTA subways and busses to get us to and from work, school, and home. Yet, when we do put our faith in the billion-dollar public transit system, we are placed in unsanitary, unpredictable, and unsafe conditions.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the MTA plan to add a new 5.5 billion dollar estimated method of transportation in our neighborhoods, The Interborough Express, better known as the (IBX), and I already have concerns.
The Interborough Express (IBX) is a proposed new light rail transit path that will run from Sunset Park, Brooklyn, to Jackson Heights, Queens, with 19 stations in total. Among those stations are some notable destinations in and around New York City Council District 30 neighborhoods, including Myrtle Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, Eliot Avenue, and Grand Avenue.
My immediate concern with the IBX line is the proposed Eliot Avenue stop.
Having this IBX station on Elliot Avenue just a half block away from Juniper Park, the heart and soul of our neighborhood, is a real concern. Allowing this Eliot Avenue stop opens the door to unwanted solicitation, illegal street vending, and crime. Additionally, there are major concerns over how this added stop will create more unsafe traffic conditions.
We’ve been dealing with ongoing illegal vending in Juniper Park and the surrounding areas for quite some time. This Light Rail will increase foot traffic to these areas, exacerbating this issue.
We need to protect our community from what Jackson Heights is living through on Roosevelt Avenue, where federal and state enforcement agencies were called in to combat quality of life issues like open prostitution, drug dealing, illegal vending, and more serious crimes.
There’s no room for Operation Restore Roosevelt here on Eliot Ave in Middle Village. NYC Parks are sacred places for families in the city, and Juniper Park is still among the top parks across the five boroughs.
The MTA must be brought to the table and provide full transparency to the community on the full scope of the IBX Line. The IBX is currently in the 2nd year of its environmental survey, and the proposed infrastructure requires the movement of over 150 buildings, including a mausoleum, and tunneling under the graves at All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village.
Looking past all the work that is still needed, there is an upside to the IBX line. It acts as a consistent mode of transportation between Brooklyn and Queens. Areas labeled as transportation deserts can now receive some equitable solutions that cannot be overlooked. Reducing travel times between the two boroughs while linking accessibility to other public transportation methods greatly benefits the average New Yorker.
Being proactive about this project is the key to meeting the neighborhood’s concerns. Our communities’ concerns regarding the proposed IBX line need to be loudly broadcast directly to the MTA.
In the past, we have been reactive to many projects facing our community. Some of those projects include congestion pricing, the City of Yes, and even our new garbage container mandates. Litigating these issues after they have been passed and implemented is proving futile.
We cannot allow our city to continue to dictate policies to communities that do not support the proposed changes. The neighborhoods and community leaders need to be heard.
The IBX line is one of many projects that require proactive voices, not reactive ones, to finally see real change.
*Paul Pogozelski is a resident of Middle Village. He currently serves as the president of the Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association and also leads the Middle Village Players Roller Hockey League. He is currently running for the District 30 City Council seat, which covers Ridgewood, Middle Village and Maspeth
