Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
Borough President Molinaro to MTA: “light rail users strongly support Bayonne bus service”
Molinaro Announces Results of Staten Island Commuter Survey
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today announced that a recent survey of Staten Island commuters who drive to Bayonne on a daily basis shows that 85 percent want the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to provide bus service to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
“I’m not surprised,” Molinaro said of the results of the survey conducted by his office. “During the transit strike, my office funded charter buses to take Staten Islanders to Bayonne, and those that took advantage of this service were amazed at the convenience and efficiency of commuting to Manhattan by this route.”
Noting that most of the survey respondents work in New Jersey, Molinaro believes there is a lack of awareness on the part of Staten Islanders about the PATH train connections to Downtown or Midtown Manhattan that are accessible from the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
With skyrocketing gas prices, Molinaro believes it is imperative that the MTA provide Staten Island commuters with a rail connection over the Bayonne Bridge to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
“An MTA/NYC Transit bus connection would not only improve commute times, but also save Staten Island commuters money on gas, tolls and parking, as well as wear and tear on their automobiles, which would further encourage use of the Light Rail,” said Molinaro, who last month announced a lawsuit against the MTA to provide this service.
Establishing local bus service from the North Shore of Staten Island to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is a priority for Molinaro, and the results of the commuter survey are further evidence that it is a priority for Staten Islanders, as well.
“It is clear that there is a strong demand for a bus connection to the 34th Street Station in Bayonne, said Molinaro. “The MTA is not meeting the needs of Staten Island commuters.”
June 2, 2006