By: Nicole Falco
Standing outside the Valley Stream Long Island Rail Road station last Friday morning, Skelos and Clavin pointed out what they called unpleasant, unsafe and unsanitary conditions, including debris, pigeon droppings and exposed wiring.
"Every Nassau County resident pays taxes that go to the maintenance of our local railroad stations," Clavin said. "Residents will pay over $22 million for 2004 and $23 million in 2005. The shame of it all is that in my estimation, residents are paying for work that is not being performed."
According to Sam Zambuto, a spokesman for the MTA, the Valley Stream station is cleaned once a day. The routine includes cleaning the station building, restrooms, platform and waiting rooms. The station receives "heavy-duty" cleaning every three months. In the spring, summer and fall, that includes steam and chemical-spray cleaning of the exterior of the station building, the plaza and platform.
Capital improvements?
Skelos also called for capital improvements at the station. A member of the four-person MTA Capital Program Review Board, Skelos said he is working to include funding for a complete renovation of the station in the MTA's 2005-2009 Capital Program. In December, Skelos voted against the MTA's $27.6 billion Capital Program, which was submitted Oct. 1, due in part to the fact that it did not include any funds for renovations in Valley Stream, according to a town press release.
"Valley Stream commuters should expect and deserve a clean, well-maintained train station," Skelos said in the release. "Through the ongoing Capital Program process, I'm working to secure the funding necessary to renovate Valley Stream's station and provide a facility that is a source of pride for the community."
Valley Stream Mayor Edward Cahill agreed with Skelos. "The station is in dire need of improving and upgrading," Cahill said when interviewed Monday night. "I too am contacting [the MTA] to discuss upgrades and improvements to the station. With a village of 40,000 people and thousands using the station, I think [the village] should have a large voice in what's going on."
Cahill said he expects that the village will have an open dialogue with the MTA, as it has in the past. He also noted how busy the station is, accommodating the LIRR's Far Rockaway, Long Beach, West Hempstead and Babylon lines. And he pointed out improvements that have been made to the surrounding area. Rockaway Avenue, particularly between Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road, continues to see improvements through the ongoing Downtown Revitalization project, including street repaving, new sidewalks and lighting, which is funded through federal grants doled out by the county. And the Valley Stream Roller Hockey Rink, on the station green, is a state-of-the-art facility.
"We're trying to really upgrade Valley Stream," Cahill said. "Part of that would be to have a real up-to-date railroad station."
Additional parking
The only capital improvement at the station in the last 10 years was an escalator. The $1.2 million project, which was completed in the fourth quarter of 2004, included rehabilitation of the area surrounding the escalator, including the sidewalk, stairs and platform.
In 1992, the center island platform was replaced with a concrete platform, two new stairways were installed and improvements were made to the platform waiting room, Zambuto said. He explained that there are currently no plans for major capital improvements at the Valley Stream station, but construction is expected to begin this spring to remodel and expand the parking lot south of the railroad tracks, at Rockaway Avenue. The 120-space lot will be expanded to hold 300 cars. It will most likely accommodate both commuters and the Rockaway Avenue business community, according to Vinny Ang, village clerk.
The remodeling is the result of an agreement between the village and the MTA, which is funding the project in exchange for the use of village property. The MTA used the property to temporarily relocate a facility and storage yard for engineering department employees north of Sunrise Highway, just east of the station, while it built a new employee facility and storage yard.
Last year, the parking lot south of the railroad, just west of Hicks Street, was expanded to include space for 82 additional vehicles. That expansion was paid for with grants secured by Skelos through the MTA and the state Department of Transportation.
Commuters' thoughts
When asked for their opinions of the conditions at the Valley Stream station, commuters weighed in. "It stinks," said Tom Smith as he exited the station last Friday evening. "The trains don't come on time and half the time the elevator doesn't work."
Another commuter, Greg Borman, agreed with the elected officials. "The station could be cleaner," he said. "[And] the new escalator helped a lot, [but] it's amazing how long [it] was out of commission."
Lester Chase, a regular commuter along with his wife, suggested a heated waiting area and said the taxi stand needs improvements. "I've had the experience of dealing with the taxis not taking people in the order of their arrival at the stand, but in order of where the taxi driver wants to drive to," Chase said. "And there's no manager on duty to complain to."
"More for less"
In response to what he sees as the deplorable conditions at the station and others on Long Island, as well as the threat of service reductions at many stations, Clavin petitioned county Comptroller Howard Weitzman and County Executive Tom Suozzi to pursue a reduction in the county's payments to the MTA for maintenance. "Nassau County taxpayers should not pay more for less," Clavin said.
Under state law, the MTA bills Nassau County, and other counties, for cleaning services based on a formula that takes into account service and ridership and that is adjusted annually for inflation. Beginning April 1, the county can petition the MTA for modification of this payment based on proposed changes to commuter services, Clavin said.
If talks between the county and the MTA fail, the state comptroller is required to step in. Should those mediation efforts fail as well, the issue can be referred to the state Legislature. Skelos said he would be willing to introduce legislation calling for the reduction of the county's contribution.
In a letter to Clavin written by a spokeswoman, Jane Levine, Weitzman agreed that the county's railroad stations need attention. In addition, he said he would support legislation introduced by Skelos to reduce the county's contribution, but said little could be accomplished without it. "Should the county fail to pay the statutorily required annual contribution, the law provides that the state comptroller 'shall withhold an equivalent amount' from state aid," the letter stated.
Anne Marie Allocca contributed to this story. Comments about it? NFalco@liherald or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
