We will seek to expand options for rail commuters
Today's commuter rail service is excellent, but increasingly strained. Rising ridership has meant more crowded rail lines. For thousands of commuters, their trains do not even take them where they need to go. Nearly half of all LIRR riders work on the East Side, but are dropped off every morning at Penn Station; 23% of Metro North riders have jobs on the West Side, but arrive daily in Grand Central Terminal. Traveling across town lengthens their daily commute-and takes up additional subways, buses, and street space. (See map on facing page: New and Expanded Transit Infrastructure; see commuter profile on page 85: Co-op City to Lower Manhattan)

Finally, rail lines that run through the Bronx and Queens do not provide as much service to residents as they could, in part because the trains can't fit more riders. Three projects will address these issues.

East Side Access was first planned in the 1960s to offer LIRR riders better access to Grand Central. Its construction will free up track space for Metro North service to Penn Station. Combined, these projects will reduce subway crowding and provide most commuters with two Midtown rail options. (See commuter profile on page 82: Bayside, Queens to Manhattan's East Side)

They would also improve service to Queens and the Bronx. Additional tracks will allow for a station at Sunnyside Yards (serving Long Island City), and make it easier for additional trains to serve stations in eastern Queens. Metro North will also be able to extend service to new stations-providing residents of Co-op City and Hunts Point with fast, direct rides, and helping to reduce auto commuting to job centers in West Harlem.

Long Islanders who work in Midtown are more likely to take the train than those who work in Lower Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn. Those who drive contribute to traffic delays in Brooklyn and Nassau County. Those who do take the train have to transfer to subways to get to their jobs. Further, the lack of good airport access hinders the competitiveness of both areas for job growth. By connecting Jamaica, Brooklyn, and Lower Manhattan, the Lower Manhattan Rail Link will address all of these challenges.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
In its recently-released 2008-2013 capital program, the MTA proposed a commitment of $3.14 billion in new funding, on top of current funding of $4.11 billion, to complete the East Side Access project by February 2015. MTA also allocated $400 million in funding for the initial phase of a new service into Penn Station for Metro-North's Hudson and New Haven lines, including new stations in eastern Bronx and the west side of Manhattan.