Statement of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC)
to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on the Access to the Region’s Core Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Monday, April 28 2008
The members of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Council to the MTA support the Access to the Region’s Core project. The proposed ARC terminal will reduce the pressure on Pennsylvania Station and provide a one seat ride for some West of Hudson Metro-North Railroad commuters. As the West Side of Manhattan develops, the additional capacity that this project provides will grow in importance and if connections to pedestrian facilities, Penn Station, and New York City Transit Subways are handled sensitively, this project can be great force linking the transportation resources of the West Side.
We remain concerned that the project preserves options for further expansion, particularly the extension of service to the East Midtown area. The members understand the conditions and choices that make rail connections to Penn Station impractical, but remain convinced that the project should retain the maximum practical flexibility to adapt to future changes in travel patterns and demands. While the PCAC recognizes the need to frame the current project as a discrete entity, we also believe that it would be short sighted to unnecessarily foreclose possibilities of connections to other regional transportation resources.
We ask that the planners of the ARC project maintain an active dialogue with the public as the design process continues, as the details of project design will in large part determine its usefulness and community acceptance.
Download here: ARCComments042808