New York, N.Y. -- Rocky Chin, District 1 City Council Candidate, today backed talks between the GRAND Coalition and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in a letter of support to Chairman Peter S. Kalikow. Representatives of the Coalition met with Kalikow to deliver a petition signed by over 1200 opponents of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s ill-considered decision to completely close subway service to Chinatown’s main urban artery – the Grand Street Station – for a “temporary” four-year renovation project.
“The MTA acted without considering the full impact of its plans. Disrupting the daily commute of thousands of immigrant workers, business owners, students, seniors and parents using the B, D and Q trains will affect the economic lifeline of the Chinatown community. The MTA’s poor planning warrants an official public hearing in the community and cooperation with local employers to provide alternative transportation services to the thousands of inconvenienced riders. I support all of the GRAND Coalition’s demands and look forward to a cooperative effort with the MTA in providing working solutions during the construction phase.”
Among other demands, the GRAND Coalition and its supporters request full and adequate notice in English, Chinese and Spanish of an official public hearing on the MTA’s project and the hiring of bi-lingual staff to answer questions and direct commuters detoured from their daily course of travel. The Coalition also advocates an official study of the economic impact of Subway suspension on small businesses in the community and the creation of a community fund to assist the those businesses that might be adversely affected.
“Our demands are reasonable requests for the compensation of disrupted services. I expect the MTA to respond with sensitivity to our needs and to immediately implement safe measures to minimize disruption to the large population using these trains. The Grand Street Station is at the heart of New York City’s Chinese community, and its needs cannot be so easily dismissed. I will continue to fight for full recognition of the Coalition’s demands and I vow that as a City Council Member for the First District, I will continue fighting for all marginalized communities rendered voiceless in the City’s bureaucratic maze and denied access to its public services.”
