Quote:
Originally Posted by Busy Bee
They are no doubt planning for the future though. The cross harbor tunnel is currently in its most recent study this very minute with the report due out this year. And a top rule of transit planning, at least ideally, is to provide provisions for the future and not squander investments. The last thing anyone wants is to put 3 billion into this and then they announce a major bridge/viaduct replacement initiative as part of an "unrelated" freight improvement scheme after Interboro construction. Although that would be so New York, USA wouldn't it?
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need i remind you the cross harbor tunnel alone was estimated at over $2B back in 2000 and $11B by 2014? we can only imagine the staggering estimate it would be today. never mind the additional brooklyn rail line reconstruction, which sounds like it would be significant without a subway line next to it, much less with one.
also, you then get to the issue of if the interboro is up and running why would you even build cross harbor when it took away so much rail capacity? and last but not least ... the time and costs ... the costs alone for adding cross harbor, seperation walls, lowering rail beds, double stacking, yadda, yadda, would be beyond belief these days. it ain't happening even in your grandkids lifetime. not to mention hydrogen or electric powered trucks and ships will be all the rage by then anyway.
so -- build the interboro transit line now and worry about freight later. if its really sooo needed for freight in 30yrs then tear out the interboro line then and use it for more freight. it wouldnt be the first subway line to come and go.