NEW YORK — In December, construction began on the reactivation of the eight-mile Staten Island Railroad to provide rail-freight access to Staten Island.
The $72 million project is a joint venture of the New York City Economic Development Corporation and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The project will create more than 330 permanent jobs for Staten Island and reduce truck traffic on the island by 100,000 trips a year.
“This is a critical project for the economic and environmental future of Staten Island,” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “Reactivation of the Staten Island Railroad will help support local businesses with low-cost rail transportation, improve the environment and reduce wear and tear on our roads. In addition, because shipping goods via rail costs about half as much as shipping by truck, it will also save consumers money.”
