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    PUBLIC TESTIMONY
            Testimony by Bruce Hain, Member of the Public, on MTA's QueensLink Project
3:09:38
·
167 sec
Bruce Hain, a self-proclaimed rail transportation planner from Queens, criticizes the MTA's approach to the QueensLink project and other rail projects. He argues that the current plans are inefficient and unnecessarily expensive.
- Hain claims the MTA spent $800 million on a consultant study for the Rockaway Beach branch that proposes demolishing several buildings
 - He suggests an alternative plan connecting to the Long Island Railroad for increased capacity
 - Hain intends to file a written testimony with pictures illustrating the buildings that would need to be removed under the current plan
 
                                
                                    Bruce Hain
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:09:38
                                        
                                        my name is Bruce Hain.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:09:41
                                        
                                        I live in Queens, and I consider myself to be the foremost, rail, transportation planner of my generation because you see I'm not up against very much.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:09:54
                                        
                                        And I think to a very large degree, this is intentional intentional.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:02
                                        
                                        It's been going on for a long time.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:05
                                        
                                        If you look at California High Speed Rail, you'll see, they they built a whole new line.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:16
                                        
                                        It's it's 6 miles longer than, it's a 111 miles.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:22
                                        
                                        It's 6 miles longer than the 105 mile line that was built in 18 70, which has a 50 mile tangent, perfect for high speed rail.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:32
                                        
                                        It should have been anyway, you know, and they spend $3,000,000,000 on it when they already had the right of way, a better right of way, a straighter right of way.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:43
                                        
                                        It's circuitous, and it's gonna be too expensive to run.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:10:47
                                        
                                        Anyway, the MTA spent $800,000,000 on their discussion of, on their their, the the consultant Mhmm.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:11:03
                                        
                                        Sistra to to look at, the the Rockaway Beach branch, and it was supposed to be comprehensive.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:11:15
                                        
                                        And then based on that, you paid more see, but that study shows, it it runs the line through about 8 buildings.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:11:31
                                        
                                        There are 6 townhouses.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:11:34
                                        
                                        There are there's a 9 story building.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:11:37
                                        
                                        They've all gotta come down if you're gonna do it the way Sistra planned it.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:11:42
                                        
                                        So I intend to, file, a written thing, and I hope that if it's in, Windows, Windows format that, a picture pictures can be included too, because I I point to the buildings that, need to be taken out to do it this way.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:12:06
                                        
                                        I've I've, planned an alternate for
                                    
                                
                                    Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:12:08
                                        
                                        Thank you, sir.
                                    
                                
                                    Bruce Hain
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:12:09
                                        
                                        The subway, but the way to do it is connected to the Long Island Railroad.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:12:14
                                        
                                        That way you have capacity.
                                    
                                
                                    Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:12:17
                                        
                                        Thank you, sir.
                                    
                                
                                    Bruce Hain
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:12:20
                                        
                                        Sorry to get so confused.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:12:21
                                        
                                        I don't know.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:12:22
                                        
                                        These things are too short to say it.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:12:24
                                        
                                        No problem.