44 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

USA New News, 12/28/18:
 

New Yorkers are freaking out that Amazon’s HQ2 could cripple the subway system, but the reality is more complicated

 

 

Amazon has chosen Long Island City, Queens, as one of two sites for its second headquarters, known as HQ2.

 

New Yorkers have expressed concern about an influx of new commuters on the subway, which is already plagued by overcrowding and delays.

 

The addition of 25,000 Amazon employees could strain the system, but many Amazon workers would be commuting against rush hour traffic.

 

With the arrival of Google’s $1 billion campus, the city can expect another 7,000 new tech employees over the next ten years.

 

While some may turn to Amazon to invest in the subway’s $37 billion renewal, the responsibility has long fallen to the state.

 

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[CNJRoss]

Breaking News

 

AP via WTOP radio 11:48 am EST 2/14/19:
 

Amazon drops New York City as one of its new headquarter locations, will not search for another

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon drops New York City as one of its new headquarter locations, will not search for another.

 

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 11:56 am EST 2/14/19:
 

Amazon drops plan to build headquarters in New York City

 

 

Amazon said Thursday it was canceling plans to build a headquarters campus in New York City because of local opposition.

 

“There are a number of folks on the ground who oppose our presence,” spokeswoman Jodi Seth said. “We don’t think there’s a path forward in terms of working with them over the long term.”

 

The company issued a statement shortly before noon saying it did not intend to reopen its search for a second headquarters at this time, but would continue with plans to put at least 25,000 jobs in Arlington in Northern Virginia and 5,000 in Nashville. New York was scheduled to get 25,000 jobs under the original announcement in November, which split the 50,000 jobs for a second headquarters between New York and Virginia.

 

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[KevinKorell]

To me, while the LIC area was chosen because of its proximity to transit, there was simply no way that improvements could have been made so that the existing subway system could handle the influx of travelers who would rely on it.  Already crowded trains could not have handled the extra business and at rush hour would have left thousands of people standing on the platform.

 

With all the work being done on the 7 Line, including the nearby Steinway Tunnel, it still would never have been enough to increase the line's capacity to handle such crush loads as would have been at the Long Island City stations had the Amazon HQ succeeded. It is hard to place something new over aging infrastructure. I think the only element of the rail transportation system that could have handled it would have been the Long Island Railroad, which has a relatively little used railhead terminal nearby.  But that only would have benefited people going between Long Island points and LIC, with little good for those who need to go through Manhattan.

[KevinKorell]

Brooklyn, NY Daily Eagle, 2/21/19:

 

 

  BQX streetcar plan jeopardized by Amazon withdrawal 

 

 

Backers of the Brooklyn-Queens Connector have touted Amazon’s potential arrival as an illustration of the critical need for a new interborough transportation option. But when the company canceled its $2.5 billion plan to bring 25,000 employees to Long Island City, it may have taken with it any hope of the streetcar becoming a reality, transit advocates said.

 

 

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