| IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
RELEASE #06-43 |
Friday July 7, 2006
Contact: Kay Sarlin/Chris Gilbride 212-442-7033
STATEN
ISLAND TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE OPENS NEW GREAT KILLS PARK
AND RIDE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE New York City Department
of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner
Iris Weinshall today joined Staten Island’s elected
officials and Staten Island Transportation Task Force members
at a 2:00 pm ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official
opening of a new Park and Ride facility in Great Kills, Staten
Island.
“One of the keys to addressing congestion on Staten
Island is providing commuters with better access to mass transit,”
said DOT Commissioner Weinshall. “There are limited
opportunities along the Staten Island Railway’s 22-station
route for people to park, and this new facility will encourage
more Staten Islanders to leave their cars behind and enjoy
the benefits of mass transit.”
“Initiatives such as this Park and Ride play an important
role in improving the mass transit picture for Staten Islanders,”
said MTA NYC Transit President Lawrence Reuter. “We
are pleased that commuters in the Great Kills area can now
make a smoother transition from driving to riding with Transit.”
The Park and Ride which is located at the intersection of
Lindenwood Road and Lindenwood Place, adjacent to the Great
Kills Staten Island Railway Station, is one of 17 short term
recommendations made by the Task Force to address congestion
and improve traffic flow on Staten Island. The lot has the
capacity to hold 35 vehicles and the potential exists for
development of an adjacent lot which could expand the capacity
of the Park and Ride to as many as 80 vehicles.
Work on the Park and Ride began in May and had been scheduled
for completion in September, 2006. The project was completed
three months ahead of schedule and drivers have been using
the lot since early June after DOT crews milled and paved
the previously vacant lot and installed new street lights,
parking signs and protective guard rails.
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