This is the second part of a three-part open letter to Bronx elected officials.

In the first part of my letter, I argued that congestion pricing offers a golden opportunity to make a stand for the Bronx by supporting it only if revenues are legally dedicated to subway expansion projects in the outer boroughs. Congestion pricing also provides a second golden opportunity: its revenues would provide a down payment (supplemented by private and other funding sources) to make the dream extending the 2nd Avenue subway to Co-op City a reality.

What makes this extension so doable is the Amtrak line which runs the length of the eastern Bronx. It is a four-track roadbed but today, Amtrak trains only use two tracks; the other two are empty. Extending the 2nd Avenue subway would mean placing ballast, ties, tracks and signals on these and the line would run from the south Bronx right to the doorstep of Co-op City. No tunneling, no traffic snarls, no heavy construction! The most expensive item would be a dedicated railroad bridge to bring in the line from Manhattan.

The Amtrak route could not have been planned better: it’s next to Co-op City, the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center (another area in desperate need of a direct subway line), the western edge of Parkchester and the #6 station at Hunts Point. Two of these stations would provide service where there is none and all of them would substantially relieve the overcrowded #6 train.

This project would generate enormous popular support. It is necessary, however, that you do something! It’s an open secret that the MTA has started construction of the first phase of the 2nd Avenue subway thanks to the extraordinary leadership provided by Manhattan elected officials. While they were fighting, you did nothing to try to commit the MTA to a Bronx extension and to make the Manhattan portion more Bronx friendly. Instead of preaching the pessimistic and defeatist view that the MTA will never build a Bronx extension, start organizing and campaigning now!

You must also stop eagerly accepting any bone the MTA throws such as the Metro North stations. MTA plans to run Metro North New Haven trains to Penn Station via the Amtrak line would not be affected since they would use the already existing Amtrak tracks. But MTA plans to place these stations on the unused Amtrak trackbed would forever block a 2nd Avenue subway extension along this line. Any stations must be built beyond the Amtrak roadbed and fortunately, there is plenty of space next to the line to do so.

Given the choice, you certainly realize that most Bronx residents would prefer a subway to Metro North by overwhelming numbers. While the new MTA line would take riders exclusively to Penn Station in Manhattan, the 2nd Avenue subway would take riders all over Manhattan. And, obviously, the subway is far more affordable to the people of the Bronx. In this case, however, you can have both!

For years you have demonstrated almost no leadership on the mass transit front. Will you let this golden opportunity to achieve Bronx subway expansion, to reduce traffic and to improve Bronx quality-of-life go by?

In my third and final part, I’ll discuss some improvements that can make present Bronx subways more efficient and more attractive.

John Rozankowski

Bedford Park