The first new Staten Island Railway built by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) since the private rail line was incorporated into the MTA network in 1971 opened in Tottenville on Jan. 21.
The Arthur Kill station and its new parking lot, located on Arthur Kill Road between Lion Street and Barnard Avenue in the Tottenville area, replaces the Nassau and Atlantic SIR stations. The two stations will be demolished, officials said.
The Nassau station primarily served the Nassau Smelting factory, which closed in the 1980s. The two older stations were small, with short platforms that did not adequately accommodate the railway’s modern fleet.
“The new Arthur Kill station offers more transportation options to Staten Island residents by giving motorists the choice to leave the driving to us and take Staten Island Railway,” MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said in a news release. “This station reinforces the Governor’s commitment to all parts of our transportation network. We know our customers here want more choices, and we are working hard to improve their options.”
The MTA 2015-2019 Capital Program includes $386 million of investments and improvements to Staten Island Railway.
Investments include replacement of the car fleet and three new power substations to increase supply to the line, allowing for service flexibility and reliability. The plan also calls for rolling out countdown clocks at all SIR stations, track replacement, radio system enhancements, and station repairs.
More than 16,000 customers ride the Staten Island Railway on an average weekday, which has 29 miles of tracks linking 22 communities on the borough, from the southern shore in Tottenville to the northern terminus at St. George that connects to the Staten Island Ferry.
“Staten Island’s first new train station in two decades deserves a delightful piece of art that elevates it beyond a station stop, and Jenna’s artwork is a thoughtful interpretation of the area’s natural beauty and a study of its historic significance,” Director of MTA Arts & Design Sandra Bloodworth said in a news release. “A commuter waiting for his train can look up at the towers or the overpass, and depending on the time or the angle of the sun, see something that he may not have seen the day or an hour before. Each scene in each panel is a reminder of the nature around us and also what we are capable of creating.”
