The Routes Not Taken Read online

  refusal to use Long Island Rail Road tracks in Queens, 66, 69–71

  support for building Lexington Avenue line, 200–201

  to operate Flushing line, 50

  willingness to build Dual Systems Contracts lines, 153

  International Ladies Garment Workers Union, 77

  Interstate Commerce Commission, 237

  Interstate Loop Line, 159, 161, 165, 166, 167, 168

  Isaacs, Stanley M., 173, 206, 207–208, 213, 215

  Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 224

  Jamaica, 253

  Jamaica Avenue, 254

  Jamaica Avenue line, 14, 47, 237, 244, 253

  Jamaica Bay, 113, 127, 236

  development as Seaport, 127–128

  Jamaica High School, 88

  Jamaica subway yards, 43

  James, Darwin R., Jr., 31

  Japan, 207, 208

  Jarema, Stephen J., 208

  Jarrett, Milton, 145

  Javits, Jacob K., 219, 221

  Jerome Avenue, 76, 86–87

  Jerome Avenue line, 86–87, 233, 245

  Jerome Park Reservoir, 77

  Jersey City, 133–134, 159, 164

  Jewish National Workers Alliance, 77

  John F. Kennedy International Airport, 227

  John S. Fitz and Associates, 169

  Johnston, Herman W., 194, 196

  accusations at Allied Civic Associations of Old Eastchester meeting, 189–190

  letter to Newbold Morris, 193

  membership on New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Committee, 173, 179

  protest over de-funding of Burke Avenue line, 174–175

  seeks city purchase of New York, Westchester and Boston Railway tracks, 181–182, 192

  Johnston, William E., 181

  Joint Committee for Public Improvements in the North Bronx, 82

  Joseph, Lazarus, 213, 239, 240

  Junction Boulevard, 49

  Just, Max, 92

  Kalikow, Peter, 225

  Katonah Avenue, 76

  Kaufman, Victor R., 10–11

  Keane, Rev. Arthur B., 213

  Keegan, Charles E., 198

  advocacy for Burke Avenue line, 176–178, 188, 194

  background, 95, 177

  opposition to New York, Westchester and Boston Railway purchase, 191, 192

  reactions to his statements, 188–189

  Kennedy, John F., 92, 96, 245

  Kent Avenue, 26

  Kernan, Francis, 25

  Kerrigan, Charles F., 133

  Kevin, J. Richard, 35

  Kew Gardens, 43

  Kiley, Robert, 254

  Kill Van Kull, 126

  Kings County Elevated Railway, 24, 25

  Kingsbridge, 76

  Kinsley, Joseph E., 191, 206

  advocacy for Burke Avenue line, 19, 177–178, 184, 188

  background, 177

  criticism of resolutions supporting subway expansion in Brooklyn, 19

  opposition to demolition of elevated lines, 206

  support for New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Purchase, 187, 192, 194

  Klapper, Paul, 44

  Knab, Frank E., 53, 54, 55, 59–60, 64, 65

  Knox, John C., 106, 107, 187, 188, 190, 192, 194, 199

  Knoxville Street Railway Company, 149

  Koch, Edward I., 218, 219

  Kornobis, Harry B., 34, 35

  La Guardia, Fiorello H., 93, 135, 205, 240, 258, 259

  absence from Hillside Houses opening, 99

  action sought on Burke Avenue line, 190, 191

  action sought on New York, Westchester and Boston Railway purchase, 182–183, 185, 187

  advocacy for demolition of Fulton Street El, 142, 143

  appointment of Charles P. Gross as Board of Transportation Chairman, 20, 21, 211

  appointment of William Reid to Board of Transportation, 20

  at opening ceremonies for the Dyre Avenue line, 196

  Board of Estimate resolution on Flushing line, 71

  concerns for subway financing, 20–21

  discussion of 2nd Avenue line work, 209

  discussion of Burke Avenue line, 98

  discussion of Bronx Express Truck Highway plan, 107

  1929 mayoral elections, 87, 88, 89, 256

  1933 mayoral elections, 97

  1936 plans for subway expansion, 16

  1941 budget report, 195

  1944 budget message, 209, 262

  nomination of members to New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Committee, 173

  opening ceremonies for Fulton Street subway, 142, 143

  opposition to fare increase, 260, 261

  opposition to Westchester and Bronx Railroad Authority legislation, 170

  participation in start of demolition of 6th Avenue El, 207

  peacekeeping at Burke Avenue Line hearing, 103

  plans for Rockaway Beach Line, 15, 16

  relationship with James J. Lyons, 97, 178

  relationship with John H. Delaney, 11, 230, 258

  renaming of North Beach Airport in his honor, 92, 258

  tour of Burke Avenue Line service area, 104–105

  La Guardia Airport, 175, 227

  Lafayette Avenue (Bronx), 86, 256

  Lafayette Avenue line (Bronx) 86, 89, 203, 209

  Lafayette Avenue line (Brooklyn), 28, 39, 200

  League of Women Voters, 83

  LeBoutillier, George, 160

  Lehman, Herbert H., 170, 171, 173, 180, 182, 183

  Lenox Avenue line, 20, 76, 258

  Lesser, Harry, 99, 103

  Leviss, Sidney, 219

  Lewis, Harold M., 165–166

  Lewis, Nelson F., 117–118

  Lexington Avenue, 159, 200

  Lexington Avenue Elevated, 20, 258

  Lexington Avenue subway, 32

  distance to Hillside Houses, 98

  impact of demolition of 2nd Avenue El, 208, 258

  impact of demolition of 3rd Avenue El, 236, 258

  inclusion in MESA plans, 224

  IRT support for building, 200–201

  meeting needs of the Upper East Side, 77

  postwar service improvements, 228

  problems with linking with 64th Street tunnel line, 249

  proposed extension to New Jersey, 159

  Levy, Samuel, 105

  Lewis, Harold M., 107

  Liberal Party, 234

  Liberty Bridge, 133

  Light Rail Transit, 224

  Lincoln Avenue, 86

  Lincoln Tunnel, 215

  Lindsay, John V., 218, 219, 221, 223, 225, 250, 261

  “Little Farms,” 121

  Little Neck, 56, 68, 243

  Little Neck Bay, 56, 68

  Loewenthal, Frederick S., 83, 103, 105, 185

  Long Island, 107 155

  Long Island City, 36, 39, 40, 47, 68, 167, 251

  Long Island City Railway Company, 24

  Long Island Daily Press, 147–148

  Long Island Daily Star, 54

  Long Island Expressway, 251

  Long Island Rail Road, 250

  Atlantic branch, 247

  City Planning Commission plans for integration with subway system, 247

  creation of committee to study LIRR’s future, 250

  desire to sell Rockaway Beach Line to Board of Transportation, 14–15

  discussion of connection between Flushing and Port Washington Lines, 62–63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70

  East Side Access program, 149

  Far Rockaway line, 253

  inclusion in Metropolitan Transit System plan, 156

  inclusion in “New Routes” plan, 253

  inclusion in Regional Plan of New York plan, 166, 167

  inclusion in Port of New York Authority Plan, 167

  inclusion in Suburban Transit Engineering Board plans, 167

  Manhattan Beach line, 110

  Montauk line, 247, 253

  opposition to Metropolitan Tran
sit System plan, 160

  plans for access to Grand Central Terminal, 250

  plans for extension to Kennedy Airport, 253

  plans to end Rockaway Beach Line service, 236

  plans to link 2nd Avenue subway with LIRR lines, 213

  Port Washington line, 55, 56, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 72, 236, 247, 253, 254, 257

  sale of Rockaway Beach line, 237

  63rd Street tunnel plans, 251

  sufficiency of service to northeast Queens, 57

  view of the Flushing Line as competition, 62

  Whitestone branch, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 72

  Long Island Star-Journal, 147–148

  Loos, Charles, 92

  Low, Robert A., 216, 218, 249

  Low, Seth, 24, 27

  Lower Manhattan, 168

  Lucerne Place, 51

  Luhn, George J., 111–112, 113

  Lynch, John A., 135

  Lynch, Rev. Joseph J., 249

  Lyons, James J., 146, 216, 232, 234

  advocacy for Burke Avenue line, 97–99, 100–101, 174, 178, 191–192, 197–198

  advocacy for expanding subway system in the Bronx, 232

  at opening of connection between the White Plains Road and Dyre Avenue lines, 244

  background, 96–97

  death of, 245

  discussion of Burke Avenue line, 103, 104, 105, 175–176, 181, 229

  end of term in office, 245

  1939 capital budget, 179

  1944 capital budget, 197

  opposition to demolition of elevated lines, 206, 207, 208

  opposition to fare increase, 240

  relationship with A. Newbold Morris, 174, 175–176

  relationship with Fiorello H. La Guardia, 97, 178

  relationship with Robert Moses, 195

  support for Empire City Racetrack, 233

  support of purchase of New York, Boston and Westchester Railway, 186

  tour of Bronx express truck highway route, 169

  vote on New York, Westchester and Boston Railway tracks, 194

  Madison Avenue (Manhattan), 157, 162

  Madison Avenue (Queens), 51

  Madison Avenue line, 200, 243

  Maele, P.A., 191

  Mahler, Anna, 83

  Maloney, Carolyn B., 224

  Mahoney, Walter J., 215

  Main Street, 47, 61, 63, 67

  Malba, 63

  Malloy, Mrs. Edward, 96

  Mand, George F., 97, 172, 179, 192

  advocacy for New York, Westchester and Boston Railway purchase, 185

  advocacy for the Burke Avenue line, 228

  death of, 281

  membership on New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Committee, 173, 179

  1941 Board of Transportation capital budget, 197

  opposition to demolition of elevated lines, 206

  support for Bronx airport, 234

  tour of Queens Boulevard line project, 232

  Manhattan, 73, 133, 202

  access from Utica Avenue line, 114, 119

  advocacy for 1st Avenue line, 202

  benefits of construction of Staten Island subway line, 126

  construction of first subway line, 122

  routing of Queens Parkway line, 154

  support for demolition of 3rd Avenue El, 215

  Manhattan Community Board No. 4, 218

  Manhattan Community Board No. 8, 220

  Manhattan East Side Alternatives Study, 224–225

  Manhattan Avenue, 25

  Manhattan Bridge, 200

  Marcantonio, Vito, 232, 235

  Marlboro, 123

  Matthews Place, 51, 60

  Mayer, Alex B., 92

  Mazzetti, Frank, 234

  McAdoo, William, 149

  McAdoo, William Gibbs, 4, 149–153, 168, 286

  the “Independent Subway” plan, 152

  McAneny, George A., 262

  as Chairman of New York State Transit Commission, 8, 38, 71

  as president of the Board of Aldermen, 62

  background, 274

  discussion of Brooklyn–Queens Crosstown line, 36

  discussion of Flushing line, 57, 59–60, 61, 62, 65–66

  discussion of municipal ownership of subways, 38

  discussion of suburban transit system, 155–156

  on Board of Estimate’s subway committee, 4, 29

  opposition to mixed-use tunnel between Brooklyn and Staten Island, 128–129

  relationship with John F. Hylan, 71, 128–129

  support for assessments to finance subway construction, 118

  support for subway to Staten Island, 124–125

  McAvoy, John W., 8, 130–131, 132

  McAvoy Commission hearings, 131, 132

  McCall, Edward, 36, 59, 62, 63, 65, 66

  McCarthy, James A., 160

  McDonald, Thomas, 78, 81, 82, 83, 91

  McGoldrick, Joseph, 173, 186, 192, 194, 205

  McGooey, John H., 132

  McGrath, John P., 236

  McKee, Joseph V., 77, 87, 94, 120, 176, 205, 206

  McKenzie, John, 133

  McMahon, Edward Ward, 41

  McRickard, Samuel E., 90

  Merritt, Edwin A., 2

  Metro North Commuter Railroad, 149, 254, 286

  Metropolitan Avenue, 154

  Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority, 250

  Metropolitan Hospital Center, 220

  Metropolitan Rapid Transit Commission, 168

  Metropolitan Street Railway Company, 199

  Metropolitan Transit System Plan, 156–157, 160, 166, 201–202, 250

  Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 149, 158, 216, 218, 223, 224, 225, 255, 262

  financial issues, 254

  Queens Subway Options Study, 253–254

  Staten Island plans, 135

  Utica Avenue line plans, 120

  Midwood, 109, 136

  Miller, Cyrus C., 8, 48, 50, 117, 118

  Miller, Leverett S., 160, 162

  Miller, Nathan C., 8

  Milnor, William H., 113

  Mitchel, John Purroy, 72, 262

  background, 277, 278

  concerns about assessment to finance subway construction, 118

  discussion of Flushing Line, 59, 61–62, 65

  discussion of McAdoo plan, 151–152

  discussion of subway service to Staten Island, 125

  discussion of Utica Avenue Line, 114

  1917 mayoral elections, 36

  support for Ashland Place connection, 138

  support for connection of Flushing and Port Washington Lines, 65

  Mitchell, MacNeil, 208–209, 216, 292

  hearing on 1951 Transportation Bond Issue funds, 216

  Moore, Harrison S., 52

  Moran, Robert L., 99

  Moroney, John, 83

  Morris, A. Newbold, 19

  discussion of Burke Avenue line, 173, 174, 175–176, 190–191, 195

  discussion of purchase of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway, 193

  1945 mayoral elections, 20

  1949 mayoral elections, 232, 234–235

  relationship with James J. Lyons, 174, 175–176

  speech on Burke Avenue Line and New York, Westchester and Boston Railway purchase, 188–189

  support for purchase of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway, 186

  Morrisania, 76

  Morrison, Henry P., 124

  Moscowitz, Henry, 132

  Moses, Michael, 194

  Moses, Robert, 18, 258–259

  Bronx Express Truck Highway and highway network, 106–107, 169, 172–173, 175, 178, 179, 180, 182, 183, 184, 186, 192, 195

  on end of World’s Fair subway service, 45

  opposition to Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority takeover of transit system, 238

  role in Rockaway Beach line improvements, 235

  role in Rockaway Beach line purchase, 236–237

  Mosholu Parkway, 78, 154

/>   Mott Avenue (Bronx), 77

  Mount Vernon, 184

  Mowbray, George, 179

  MTA New York City Transit, 74, 120, 255

  Mulholland, J. J., 180

  Municipal Arts Society, 222

  Murray Hill (Manhattan), 157

  Murray Hill (Queens), 60

  Myrtle Avenue (Brooklyn), 51–52

  Myrtle Avenue (Flushing), 63

  Myrtle Avenue Elevated, 24, 26, 27, 258

  Narrows, The, 124

  Narrows Tunnel, 133, 136

  Board of Transportation plans, 135

  construction work, 130

  criticism of in McAvoy Commission Report, 13, 132

  discussion of mixed-use tunnel, 129

  early plans, 122, 124–125

  groundbreaking, 129–130

  legislation limiting use to passenger service, 131, 132

  Regional Plan of New York plans, 166

  stoppage of work, 131

  Transportation Construction Commission report, 126–127, 133

  use as a freight tunnel, 127–128

  Nassau County, 68, 73, 164, 250

  Nassau Street line, 257

  Nathan, Edgar J., 207

  New Dorp, 121

  New Durham, 167

  New England Thruway, 195

  New Jersey, 107, 122, 126, 134, 155, 156, 166, 167, 262

  New Jersey Legislature, 159, 163, 167, 168

  New Jersey Transit, 254

  New Lots Line, 252

  New Rochelle, 107, 169, 182, 196

  “New Routes” Program, 149, 217, 221, 223, 262

  New York American, 64

  New York Central Railroad, 76, 162, 167, 169, 199

  New York City Board of Aldermen, 176

  New York City Bureau of the Budget, 218

  New York City Corporation Council, 66

  New York City Council, 18, 195

  New York City Transit Authority, 259

  Chrystie Street connection , 215

  extension of 6th Avenue Line, 216

  formation of initial agency, 239

  formation of second agency, 241

  funding concerns, 244–245

  funding of Rockaway Beach line purchase and system upgrades, 240

  lack of proposals for line to Staten Island, 135

  opening of Queens Boulevard Line–69th Street tunnel connection, 241

  relationship of initial agency with Robert F. Wagner, Jr., 240

  1953 Capital Plan, 214, 238, 240

  1954 Capital Plan, 240

  1962–1963 Capital Plan, 244

  1964–1965 Capital Plan, 245

  plans for creation of initial agency, 238

  plans for 2nd Avenue line, 242

  plans for 64th Street Tunnel, 248–249

  plans for Utica Avenue line, 120

  vote on fare increase, 240

  vote to end 3rd Avenue El service in Manhattan, 214–215

  New York City Transportation Administration, 218

  New York Evening Post, 130

  New York Hospital Center, 220

  New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (New Haven Railroad):