Red Hook Trolley May Actually Happen
After more than a decade of talking about it, the Department of Transportation is taking an important step towards the creation of a light-rail trolley line connecting Red Hook to the start of Brooklyn Bridge Park at Atlantic Avenue; the news would be particularly welcome in light of recent cuts to bus to and from…
After more than a decade of talking about it, the Department of Transportation is taking an important step towards the creation of a light-rail trolley line connecting Red Hook to the start of Brooklyn Bridge Park at Atlantic Avenue; the news would be particularly welcome in light of recent cuts to bus to and from the isolated former industrial neighborhood. Rep. Nydia Velazquez secured $300,000 in funding for a study of the project back in 2005, but the transportation department is only just now drawing down on the funds. Velazquez has a request pending for $10 million to build the project, a number that falls at the low end of estimates by Bob Diamond, who’s been lobbying for the project through his group Brooklyn Historic Railway Association since 1989. You can see a map of BHRA’s proposed route here.
Trolley Good News for Red Hook Rail Plan [NY Post]
Red Hook’s Streetcar Plan Garners Support [Brownstoner]
Resurrecting Red Hook’s Trolley Tracks [Brownstoner]
Could Streetcars Return to Brooklyn? [Brownstoner]
Photo by fldelundell
First of all, I love me some trolleys and yes, the area is underserved by mass transit.
BUT.
When the MTA (and NY State) barely has money to keep itself in business, a trolley seems like a waste of the taxpayers money. If better transit is such a necessity, then create a dedicated busway on that same route for a fraction of the cost.
Sure it won’t be as glam or fun as a trolley, but if you live in RH and want a quick way to get downtown, the bus will do the job.
Red Hook is especially well suited for this given its lower density; going down to DUMBO, down to Fulton Landing, I suppose, that makes sense due to the hill terrain.
I think this is a fantastic idea; a second route from Park Slope to Red Hook would also be fantastic: it would get some consumer money from PS down to RH.
This isn’t, primarily about transportation; it’s about tourism, and the psychological charm that a trolley/light rail line brings when compared to a bus or subway.
Without decent public transportation, the redevelopment of Red Hook will falter. If you want it to remain a backwater for work-at-home artists/creative types, I guess that’s fine. But to address the unemployment issues facing residents of the public housing there and to make the area more welcoming for ordinary middle-class people with jobs in Manhattan, there has to be a transportation solution.
tybur6 – How is this not appropriate? or Needed? Have any of you been to Red Hook.
We are in a fiscal disaster, existing mass transit (including surface transport) is being cut and some dopey pol wants the Government to spend millions on a new route for a form of transportation that is 1. Totally inflexible 2. Easily replaceable with cheaper and more flexible options (bus) 3. Is entirely unique and will therefore NOT benefit from economies of scale and will therefore cost infinitly more to maintain 4. Serves an area that is generally not densely populated (sans the RHH)
Since I would like to save $ for the MTA and city I propose that instead that we provide black car vouchers for all Red Hook residents – since no doubt chauffeuring them around would be cheaper than this boondogle waiting to happen.
Well, they had buses…the 77 and the 61. Are those two on the chopping block to be cut down in the amount of service or number of stops?
Leucas — We’ve covered the Bus vs. Train issue many many times on this blog.
Long story short… What is “quicker” and (supposedly) “more flexible” is not always the Best solution. Infrastructure (capital) investments vs. equipment maintenance. Not to mention easier navigation, comfort, and attractiveness all lead to increased ridership. Also, permanence… the *inability* to simply reroute on a whim… can have great impact on economic development (retail and other commercial businesses)… train tracks mean it will “always” be there.
tybur6 – How is this not appropriate? or Needed? Have any of you been to Red Hook.
We are in a fiscal disaster, existing mass transit (including surface transport) is being cut and some dopey pol wants the Government to spend millions on a new route for a form of transportation that is 1. Totally inflexible 2. Easily replaceable with cheaper and more flexible options (bus) 3. Is entirely unique and will therefore NOT benefit from economies of scale and will therefore cost infinitly more to maintain 4. Serves an area that is generally not densely populated (sans the RHH)
Since I would like to save $ for the MTA and city I propose that instead that we provide black car vouchers for all Red Hook residents – since no doubt chauffeuring them around would be cheaper than this boondogle waiting to happen.
Velasquez’s district is gerrymandered to be a Latino-majority district, so it includes the Lower East Side, Williamsburg,Bushwick, Red Hook Sunset Park.