User:MTATransitFan/sandbox/centralQueens

The Central Queens Transit Redesign is a proposal to reactivate the Lower Montauk Branch and Rockaway Beach Branch as LRT lines.

Map
Coming Soon

Phase I
The stations would be upgraded stations along the current route, with slightly different stations to the old ones. In addition, four stations would be added. The station list would be:


 * Long Island City (Connection to train and LIRR)
 * Greenpoint Avenue
 * Haberman
 * Flushing Avenue (new Park and Ride lot added)
 * Fresh Pond
 * Middle Village (Connection to train)
 * Glendale
 * Atlas Park Mall
 * Union Turnpike (Connection to RBB, Select Bus Service)
 * Kew Gardens South
 * Richmond Hill (Connection to and  trains)

Phase II
The Rockaway Beach Branch would reopen with stations at:


 * Forest Hills South
 * Metropolitan Avenue (Connection to LMB, Select Bus Service)
 * Jamaica Avenue (Connection to and  trains)
 * Atlantic Avenue (Connection to LIRR)
 * Liberty Avenue (Connection to train)
 * JFK Airport (Connection to train)

Trains would operate from Penn Station then down the LIRR Main Line, stopping atWoodside and a new station at Woodhaven Boulevard, before going down the RBB. The switchover from diesel to catenary wire would happen "on-the-fly" between Woodside and the East River Tunnels

JFK Flyer service
This service would run directly from Penn Station to JFK, only stopping at Atlantic Avenue to connect with the LIRR Atlantic Branch.

Phase III
This phase would see the reactivation of the Dutch Kills Cutoff. Trains would operate on a new wye at Wheelspur Yard, before operating across a revamped line to Sunnyside Yards. Trains would either then connect to East Side Access via a tunnel, or use the loop around Harold Interlocking to access the tunnels to Penn Station. One more stop would be added at 49 Avenue called Dutch Kills, connecting to the Hunterspoint Avenue LIRR and subway stations.

Midtown Link Bus
Until Phase III is implemented, there would be a Midtown Link bus operating between LIC station and Midtown. This bus would use a bus lane in the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, then Third Avenue (northbound) and Second Avenue (southbound) to access 42nd Street, where it would follow the 's route to Twelfth Avenue.

Maintenance Facilities

 * Morris Park Facility would be revamped, and then would maintain Lower Montauk trains.
 * Sunnyside Yards would be expanded with a maintenance facility for Rockaway Beach Branch trains.
 * LIC Yard would be a backup/storage yard for both lines.
 * The Midtown Link Bus would be split between Quill Depot and Grand Avenue Depot, using the current fleet of buses there.