Tim Sullivan: We expect more from the MTA

“The MTA is not a good neighbor.” That’s what a former village trustee and municipal attorney once told me.

I remember when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority clear-cut all the trees adjoining the Long Island Rail Road in communities along the Babylon branch. The removal of a green barrier that had existed for many years was stunning to the eye and perplexing to the mind. I was told by a trusted friend, an experienced political representative, that the local municipalities hadn’t been notified, and that they, too, had been blind-sided by this careless action by the MTA.

My own recollection of the agency, conversely, is a positive one. I have fond memories of watching trains go by in our village, especially when I was a kid playing in the park. It was common for the train operators to blare the horns and throw lollipops to entertain us. The LIRR seemed to us to be a great neighbor.
Being good neighbors can be as easy as communicating with one another. The MTA’s Governmental and Community Relations representatives give us fair warning when work is planned in our community. They visit us in the village when we request repairs, and generally appear open to addressing our concerns about operations and infrastructure. But there is an inherent inconsistency in what they say and what the MTA does.

The agency has embarked on a major project to replace the entire rail infrastructure along the West Hempstead branch. This includes tracks, railroad ties, the third rail and everything in between. The project is supposed to improve the rides for MTA customers, reduce noise for our residents and reduce the need for maintenance while increasing the reliability of service. For that we are grateful, but we are imploring the agency to be a good neighbor.

You may have seen or heard about the shocking fire that recently lit up the night sky within a few feet of our homes. If it weren’t for the immediate action and heroic efforts of our volunteer fire departments, the fire easily could have turned into a catastrophe. That fact that we were unaware that the MTA was performing work in the middle of the night, in close proximity to our homes, was alarming. The fact that the MTA has homeowners submitting claims for fire damage to their property instead of taking responsibility by repairing the damage itself is inexcusable. It should be a good neighbor and fix what it has broken.

Being a good neighbor to our businesses includes consideration for our merchants. We have spent countless hours planning and coordinating with the MTA to provide for agreeable timing, detour traffic patterns and proper notice for the necessary closure of grade crossings for this project. Proper execution of the plan, however, has never been accomplished.

We acknowledge that construction schedules can change based on unforeseen circumstances, but rational thinking should be applied. Who thought it would make sense to close all three traffic crossings in our village — at Franklin Avenue, Hempstead Avenue (right in the middle of our business district) and at Ocean Avenue at the same time, in the middle of one of the busiest days of the week? Who makes these decisions, and why are agreed-on plans not followed?

Why does the MTA park heavy machinery in our village wherever it wants, obstructing traffic and emergency egress from our firehouse? Why is no one accountable? Why should our businesses suffer losses while residents and visitors get caught in traffic jams due to the dysfunction caused by an unapologetic organization?

There appears to be little logic or concern applied while constructing capital projects, and a lack of cross-organizational coordination leads to the mayhem that we have experienced. Unfortunately, this ultimately leads to an additional toll on our communities.

We made a pledge to be the best possible government for the Village of Malverne. It is our pledge to address your concerns, and we hope the MTA will realize what it has done wrong, and offer a pledge of support to you, as any good neighbor would do.

This is its chance to change that old narrative.

Tim Sullivan is the mayor of Malverne.