New York MTA hires consultant for North Shore study
Written by jrood
Whether trains or buses will roll along the abandoned North Shore Rail right-of-way on Staten Island will be decided in the coming months, after the MTA said it has hired a consultant to evaluate the options, the Website SILive.com reports. SYSTRA Engineering, Inc., was chosen to conduct the study at a cost of just under $1.5 million. The company has done previous work on the North Shore Rail and West Shore Light Rail projects.
"We got a good firm,
and we got a bargain," said Borough President James Molinaro, who, along
with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, has championed the restoration of
transit service along the former North Shore Rail right-of-way.
After the nine-month study
concludes, the Environmental Impact Statement process will begin. That step can
cost in the tens of millions, and the funds aren’t yet set aside.
"That’s still a lot of
money to raise," Molinaro said.
"We’re excited to be
moving forward with new ideas for improving mobility on the north and west
shores of Staten Island," said MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin. "This
study will shed light on the benefits and costs of several transit
possibilities, and we look forward to an informed dialogue with Staten Island
residents."
