the CounCil

Christine C. Quinn Speaker

the City of new york City hall new york, ny 10007

of

Telephone 212-788-7210

May 22, 2013 Thomas F. Prendergast Interim Executive Director Metropolitan Transportation Authority 347 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 Dear Mr. Prendergast: As you know, the Rockaways were among the neighborhoods most devastated by Superstorm Sandy, and its transit services were no exception. The vital link that the A train provides Rockaway residents to the rest of the City has been down since the storm, and I was relieved to read that the Rockaway Line of the A Train will be resuming service on May 30th. As that work continues, I want to call your attention to the continuing plight that Rockaway residents face in the midst of diminished transit options as they try to both recover from the storm and go about their daily lives. While the H train shuttle, the free shuttle bus service from Mott Avenue H train station to the A train stop at Howard Beach, and the Seastreak ferry service all help, many residents rely on the Q52 and Q53 buses to travel between the peninsula and the A train stop at Rockaway Blvd. I have received reports of extremely long lines, unreliable service, and overcrowded buses on these lines. I respectfully request that you consider adding more and larger-capacity buses to these routes, increasing service at all hours of the day and night, and implementing crowdcontrol procedures as soon as possible, especially until A train service is fully restored. It is vitally important that we do what we can to make the simple act of commuting as stress-free as possible for residents of the Rockaways as they continue to recover from Superstorm Sandy. Thank you for your continuing work to fully restore service across our mass transit system. Sincerely,

Christine C. Quinn Speaker