File #: Res 1222-2008    Version: * Name: DOT and the MTA to approve and institute a plan for the construction of a Trans-Narrows Tunnel between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on State and Federal Legislation
On agenda: 1/30/2008
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the Mayor of the City of New York, the New York City Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to approve and institute a plan for the construction of a Trans-Narrows Tunnel between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island for the purposes of connecting the Staten Island railway to the New York City subway system.
Sponsors: Lewis A. Fidler, James S. Oddo, Vincent Ignizio, Joel Rivera, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Bill De Blasio, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Simcha Felder, Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, Mathieu Eugene, Thomas White, Jr., Sara M. Gonzalez, Letitia James, G. Oliver Koppell, Melinda R. Katz, John C. Liu, Diana Reyna, Alan J. Gerson, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Michael C. Nelson, Annabel Palma, James Sanders, Jr., Larry B. Seabrook, Kendall Stewart, James Vacca, David I. Weprin, David Yassky, Eric N. Gioia, James F. Gennaro, Vincent J. Gentile, Erik Martin Dilan
Council Member Sponsors: 31

Res. No. 1222

 

Resolution calling upon the Mayor of the City of New York, the New York City Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to approve and institute a plan for the construction of a Trans-Narrows Tunnel between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island for the purposes of connecting the Staten Island railway to the New York City subway system.

 

By Council Members Fidler, Oddo, Ignizio Rivera, Comrie, DeBlasio, Recchia Jr., Felder, Arroyo, Eugene, White Jr., Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Katz, Liu, Reyna, Gerson, Mark-Viverito, Nelson, Palma, Sanders Jr., Seabrook, Stewart, Vacca, Weprin, Yassky, Gioia, Gennaro, Gentile and Dilan

 

Whereas, The construction of a Trans-Narrows Tunnel between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island would connect the Staten Island railway to the New York City subway system; and

Whereas, According to the 2000 census, the percentage of residents who commute to work by car from Staten Island exceeds that of all other boroughs; and

Whereas, Residents of Staten Island currently have no direct access to the City’s subway system; and

Whereas, The concomitant air pollution created by exhaust from gasoline engines is currently an obtrusive, unhealthy part of almost every Staten Island resident’s commute to work; and

Whereas, It is impossible to estimate how many Staten Islanders would opt to commute to work by subway instead of automobile if given the opportunity to do so, thereby, reducing air pollution and asthma rates, and reducing congestion on Staten Island’s roads, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, many arterial roads entering Manhattan and in the Central Business District itself; and

Whereas, According to an article in the June 17, 2007 Staten Island Advance, the Trans-Narrows Tunnel was first proposed in 1912, with construction started and aborted in the 1920’s, and is now clearly an overdue promise to the City’s fastest growing borough; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Mayor of the City of New York, the New York City Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to approve and institute a plan for the construction of a Trans-Narrows Tunnel between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island for the purposes of connecting the Staten Island railway to the New York City subway system.

 

PH

LS # 4373

1.22.08 - 1:35 pm