Bill Text: NY S08029 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Directs the MTA to study and report on the feasibility of rehabilitating the Lefferts Boulevard Bridge and requires the chairman of the MTA to submit a written report with the findings and recommendations of the study.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-06 - SUBSTITUTED BY A10176A [S08029 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S08029-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8029--A IN SENATE March 21, 2018 ___________ Introduced by Sens. COMRIE, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT in relation to directing the metropolitan transportation authori- ty to study and report on the feasibility of rehabilitating the Lefferts Boulevard Bridge The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds and 2 declares that the Lefferts Boulevard Bridge is an essential almost 100- 3 year-old structure in Kew Gardens, Queens that has been owned by the 4 MTA/Long Island Rail Road since 1925. The bridge has been an integral 5 and essential focal point for community life in Kew Gardens for the past 6 century. Presently, the bridge is home to a series of longstanding 7 local businesses, many of which have served the community, and contrib- 8 uted substantial revenues to the MTA, for multiple generations, while 9 hard at work in their humble storefronts on top of the bridge. For at 10 least the past thirty years, the MTA/LIRR has let the bridge deteriorate 11 to the point where it appears to be structurally compromised due to lack 12 of attention, investment and proper maintenance. These neglectful and 13 inattentive acts have led the MTA/LIRR to declare that the only option 14 available as a next course of action is complete demolition of the 15 bridge. However, widespread demolition is unpalatable to the community 16 for many reasons, including displacement of the businesses, disposition 17 of the property and disruption to essential quality of life issues. 18 Furthermore, the affected community believes that rehabilitation and 19 reconstruction of the bridge decking is possible and has retained its 20 own experts to provide evidence to this effect. Additionally, the LIRR 21 also commissioned a 2016 inspection report that indicated, in exhaustive 22 detail, the steps necessary to repair the present deficiencies of the 23 bridge, in contrast to demolition. However, the MTA has yet to consider 24 these rehabilitative options, which would cost only a fraction of demo- 25 lition. Given the vast importance of the future of the bridge, the asso- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD15211-02-8S. 8029--A 2 1 ciated businesses and public safety, it is in the best interest of all 2 parties that the MTA undertake a feasibility study of other alternatives 3 with specific research centering around the impacts, economic and other- 4 wise, to the affected community. 5 § 2. The metropolitan transportation authority shall conduct a study 6 to examine the feasibility and impact of the rehabilitation of the 7 Lefferts Boulevard Bridge. Such study shall focus on the costs and bene- 8 fits of such rehabilitation and shall include, but not be limited to the 9 following issues: 10 (a) all feasible alternatives to demolishing the bridge; 11 (b) the economic impact of all such alternatives; 12 (c) a plan for preserving, without interruption, all businesses in 13 place that currently occupy surface space above the bridge; and 14 (d) the economic impact to surrounding businesses if such rehabili- 15 tation does not occur. 16 § 3. Within ninety days after the effective date of this act, the 17 chairman of the metropolitan transportation authority shall submit a 18 written report to the governor, temporary president of the senate, 19 speaker of the assembly and mayor of the city of New York, with the 20 findings and recommendations of the study conducted pursuant to section 21 two of this act. 22 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.