Lawmakers: No. 7 Train Must Be Improved Before Flushing Rezoning, Parking Loss
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two state lawmakers have urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to put off his plan to rezone the Flushing West area of the borough until improvements are made to the No. 7 Train.
As WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported, state Sen. Tony Avella and Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Queens) said a proposed rezoning will eliminate parking, but will not make up for it with alternate options.
"One of the specifics of the Flushing West proposal is to eliminate all the parking requirements for development," Avella said. "So in effect, they're saying all these people are going to ride the subway."
But the No. 7 Train, which serves the area, has major issues, Avella said.
"At rush hour, you can't, there's not enough room to even stand on the platform," he said. "Sometimes people have to stand on the stairs. It's really dangerous."
In response, the Mayor's press office points out that new select bus service is planned for the area, and highlighted the city's continued interest in improving mass transit.