Norwood News

 

Editor’s Note:  The Norwood News publishes a section in the paper dubbed “In The Public Interest.”  It features noteworthy news items that can make for a better informed public.  Below is what we featured in the Norwood News. 

Bronx Celebrates Centennial 
For 2014, the Bronx will examine its past, present and future with the Bronx Centennial, reflecting on the 100 years the Boogie Down became known as Bronx County.  In celebration of the borough’s first 100 years, a year-round centennial celebration will be held, with the first official event being the inauguration of Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.  The event was seen as a historical nod to the first swearing in ceremony that took place when Bronx County was formed in 1914.  Plenty of politicians, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, were on hand to witness Diaz Jr.’s third swearing in.  The BP outlines several accomplishments the borough has made so far, touting some major development happening in the borough.  He’ll go more in depth at his State of the Borough Address scheduled for February 20 at Hostos Community College at 11a.m.  In celebration of the centennial, the Empire State Building lit up the skyline with the Bronx’s official blue and orange colors.  –David Cruz 

Cuomo Backs Bronx Metro-North Plan  

 It’s all but a reality.
With Governor Andrew Cuomo publicly announcing his support for more Metro-North service to the Bronx in his State of the State address, the borough’s state lawmakers are giddy on when they can actually vote on earmarking the proposed project estimated to cost over $1 billion.

They’ll get their chance this coming March when the MTA’s five-year capital budget plan will be voted on by both houses of the State Legislature, highlighting the agency’s projects in the pipeline through 2019. The Metro-North project will expand service to the east Bronx, isolated transit areas that often require commuters to take a bus and subway to get to work in Manhattan. Four train stations along the borough’s east end will be built along the existing Hell’s Gate line, the main line that takes Amtrak’s passengers directly north to Boston or south to Manhattan’s Penn Station.

Locals in Co-op City, Morris Park, Parkchester and Hunt’s Point are slated to see a station in their neighborhood. The respective neighborhoods were chosen given their dense populations, with Co-op City housing the largest cooperative in the city with some 50,000 residents living there.

Both State Legislatures have publicly supported the project. In the Senate, Independent Democratic Conference president, Sen. Jeff Klein, vowed to make sure the project passes Senate, calling the plan his “top priority.”

Last spring, Klein and Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. released a report detailing the economic gravy train the expansion would produce, with over $1 billion in benefits projected as a result of the expansion. On top of property rates, the Metro-North expansion plan would create 5400 jobs, according to the report. “[T]he benefits to local homeowners, businesses and the economy are clear,” said Klein.

But the building of these stations is contingent on whether the Long Island Railroad will release track space for the impending Metro-North trains. The likelihood of that happening is strong since the MTA is currently building the East Side Access construction project, which will divert LIRR trains into Grand Central, freeing up track space.–David Cruz