SCHUMER DEMANDS FEDS EXTEND DEADLINE FOR GLEN COVE TO FINISH FERRY PROJECT; RISK OF LI LOSING CRITICAL $16M IN FEDS FUNDS WOULD HURT LOCAL TAXPAYERS & DEAL BLOW TO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Despite ‘Round-The-Clock Effort, Glen Cove Could Miss Fed Deadline Of Jan 1st To Complete Game-Changing Transpo Project That Would Better Connect City With Manhattan
Schumer Says Feds Should Work With Glen Cove & NYSDOT To Extend Deadline & Allow Glen Cove To Finish Ferry Project Strong, Keep Their $16M, Build Terminal, Dredge Creek & Then Set Sail
Schumer To Feds: Don’t Claw-Back LI Fed Funds & Don’t Needlessly Sink Glen Cove Ferry
On the heels of local worry that the City of Glen Cove and its residents could face a claw back of over $16 million dollars in fed funds and a needless disruption to a critical and regional transportation project aiming to provide reliable ferry service to New York City, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer demanded the federal government extend a too-soon deadline imposed on the city and allow locals to finish the Glen Cove ferry project without penalty.
“Today, we are sending a simple message to the feds: don’t claw-back Long Island’s federal dollars and don’t needlessly sink the Glen Cove ferry project at the same time,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “There are examples across the country where big projects are rushed through because of deadlines that need to be tweaked and aren’t. And you know what happens many of times to the projects that get rushed through? Well, they have to be fixed later, and usually at a higher cost than before. We do not want to have this happen here in Glen Cove because while the city crosses the‘t’s’ and dots the ‘i’s,’ they are also trying to make sure that things get done right the first time. Local taxpayers should not face a big penalty for this kind of due diligence and city officials should be allowed to finish the job; it’s as simple as that.”
Schumer further said that the risk of Long Island losing this critical federal investment could upend local taxpayers’ pockets while dealing a blow to a regional transportation effort that seeks to improve the way Long Islanders get from here to there, including the goal of relieving congestion along the Long Island Expressway and the at-times overburdened LIRR system. Schumer said Glen Cove officials have worked around the clock to complete this project and that they deserve enough time—beyond the January 1st federal deadline—to finish their work.
This Glen Cove project would establish a long sought after ferry service from the City of Glen Cove into Manhattan. Schumer says if done correctly, this would help to provide a quick and affordable option for commuters, and alleviate stress on Long Island’s other overburdened public transportation options, including the LIE and LIRR. Schumer further points out that the city has made tremendous progress since the federal dollars were first awarded, this includes the completion of a ferry terminal, key environmental studies and robust public discourse along the way.
In 2004, Glen Cove was awarded $16.6 million in federal grants for the building of a ferry terminal and dredging of Glen Cove Creek for the purpose of establishing a ferry service from the North Shore of Long Island to Midtown Manhattan. This process has been a long and complicated undertaking for the city, as the successful establishment of a ferry system—anywhere—requires meticulous planning and careful consideration, particularly in establishing a long-term financial plan that maintains an affordable rate for commuters while accommodating project financing deliverables.
Schumer, today, urged the feds to not claw-back Long Island’s federal dollars and not sink the Glen Cove ferry project altogether. Schumer was joined by Congressman Tom Suozzzi, Glen Cove Mayor, Tim Tenke and the City Council as he made the case to keep this project on track and federally funded.
The Senator’s just-released letter to federal officials overseeing the deadline appears below:
Dear Deputy Administrator Hendrickson:
I write to urge you to extend the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) January 1st, 2019 deadline for “Glen Cove Ferry Terminal Improvements. This important project will establish a ferry service from the City of Glen Cove (City) into Manhattan to provide a quick and affordable option for commuters, and to alleviate stress on Long Island’s severely overburdened public transportation infrastructure. Moreover, a successful project of this magnitude could serve as a benchmark for other cities looking to undertake a similar effort to mitigate strain on local transportation options.
In 2004, the City of Glen Cove was awarded $16.6 million in federal grants for the building of a ferry terminal and dredging of Glen Cove Creek for the purpose of establishing a ferry service from the North Shore of Long Island to Midtown Manhattan. This process has been a long and complicated undertaking for the City, as the successful establishment of a ferry system requires meticulous planning and careful consideration, particularly in establishing a long-term financial plan that maintains an affordable rate for commuters.
While the City has made great progress, the current January 1st, 2019 deadline for the service to begin is unreasonable and additional time is needed to ensure that this new service will be a success. It’s come to my attention that FHWA could attempt to ‘claw-back’ federal funds if the service does not begin by this deadline. I strongly urge you to avoid that situation and instead extend the January 1st, 2019 deadline to give this community additional time to complete this important project.
It is important and most cost-effective to allow Glen Cove to get this project right the first time. Should you need additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.
--Charles E. Schumer
