Neighbor News
LI Business Leaders Call Upon GC to address Denton Bridge Permit
Long Island business leaders call upon Garden City Village Hall to address Third Track Denton Bridge permit
A coalition of leading Long Island business organizations are calling upon the Village of Garden City to approve a permit that would allow the LIRR Third Track project to move forward towards completion.
In a letter to Village Mayor Cosmo Veneziale, the coalition stated, “On behalf of the Association for a Better Long Island, Long Island Association and Long Island Builders Institute, the leading advocates of the region’s economic development community, we strongly urge the Village of Garden City to approve all permits needed to advance the replacement of the rail bridge over Denton Avenue as part of the LIRR Enhancement Project now.”
The coalition represents much of the economic bedrock of the region. They noted, “Upon completion, the MTA LIRR Enhancement Project, (also known as Third Track), will be one of the most transformative infrastructure projects of this generation. The origins of this effort recognized that the current constraints of this rail corridor result in extreme bottlenecks that choke the LIRR system and only permit one-way traffic during peak service hours. The Third Track will reduce service delays and permit reverse commuting during peak hours. As a result, it will spur transit oriented economic and community development, essential if Long Island is to be competitive in attracting new businesses and young people who live in New York City. The project will add billions in personal income, sales & property tax revenue, and gross regional product.”
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Their open letter reminds, “This portion of the project is an integral element in the multibillion-dollar infrastructure improvements that include MTA East Side Access and the previously completed Double Track. Without the completion of Third Track, the LIRR system cannot reach its full potential. To delay further means the courts would ultimately dictate when construction begins and unnecessarily increase the cost to all parties.”
"It is unfathomable that a routine construction permit could delay one of Long Island's most transformative infrastructure projects of our generation," noted Kyle Strober, executive director of the Association for a Better Long Island.
