As part of preparation for future Long Island Rail Road Eastside Access service into Grand Central Madison, there was a $450 million project known as Jamaica Capacity Improvements.  Funding was approved for Phase One many years ago under a grant from the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.  This was one of many support projects in related LIRR readiness projects including carried off line from the official ESA project budget.

This also included the $2.6 billion Main Line Third Track,  $387 million Ronkonkoma Double Track, $120 million Ronkonkoma Yard Expansion, $44 million Great Neck Pocket Track, $423 million for rail car fleet expansion and others that were necessary for full implementation of ESA.  Without these projects, the LIRR would have lacked the expanded operational capabilities to support both promised 24-rush hour train service to GCM along with a 40% increase in reverse peak and off peak service. By 2023, ESA ended up costing $11.6 billion (plus $1 billion debt service payments and $4 billion in directly related LIRR readiness projects.  This resulted in a real total project cost of $16.6 billion.

Phase one of the Jamaica Capacity project, included capital improvements to operational areas in and adjacent to the station.  The scope of work included track, signals, third rail power and interlockings.  These improvements were designed to support increased operational capacity necessary to support future Grand Central Madison service.  The $6.3 billion FTA Capital Investment Full Funding Grant Agreement (with a federal share capped at $2.6 billion) was approved in 2006. Later, grants under other FTA formula programs were approved for Jamaica Capacity improvements.

Why weren’t Phase 2 of Jamaica Capacity Improvements not completed in time to coincide with new LIRR Grand Central Madison service?  The LIRR Eastn Side Access to Grand Central was supposed to have been completed by 2011. This did not occur until earlier this year. As a result, the LIRR had 17 years to complete both Phase 1 and 2.

A recent advertisement placed by the MTA in the New York Daily News on Sept. 21 under the heading “Determination And Findings Pursuant To Article 2 Of The New York Eminent Domain Procedure Law” was revealing.  According to the text, Phase 2 is to “raise maximum allowable train speeds, increase train throughput and parallel routing capabilities, implement universal 12-car platform capacity and implement a full state-of-good repair throughout the entire Jamaica complex.”

Completion of Phase 2 is promised to afford LIRR the ability to increase overall rush hour capacity, including adding additional Atlantic branch Brooklyn service and reduce travel time up to 3 minutes between Jamaica and Penn Station, Grand Central Madison, Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, Hunters Point or Long Island City Queens.

All of these benefits should have been previously available. LIRR commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy groups and elected officials deserve a detailed explanation for why this work was delayed so long from MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and Acting Interim LIRR President Robert Free.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.