Poughkeepsie Journal from Poughkeepsie, New York • Page 4A

STATEN ii THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1 999 vPOUQHKEEPSIE JOURNAL Grand Central tunnels ease commuting 4 Ayferage rider will save 8 to 10 muiutes Metro Nbrth riders' who work north of Grand Central Terminal got to shave time off their morning and afternoon commutes by using underground passageways that connect the station to entrances as far Xiptown as 48th Street Wednesday. This latest step in the; terminal's revival is expected to. serve half the 70,000 people who arrive at Grand, Central each weekday morning oil Metro North Railroad trains. The railroad estimates the average will save; eight to 10 minutes each way. "I think it a major milestone," said Edward Vrooman of Garrison, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member who chairs the Metro North Committee.

"I think that like the main waiting room ofjGrand, Central, people are going to be very happy with it." Vrooman expects the time savingsaving passageways to increase rider ship by attracting people who work more than 15 blocks north of Grand Central and who live farther north' of New York City Grand Central North, as it is' called, consists of four passages totaling almost 4,000 feet leading to four street level entrances. They are at 48th Street and Park Avenue, 47th Street and Madison Avenue, and in the1 two walkways under the Helmsley Building 45th and 46th streets on Park. Commuters who" work north of the terminal can board cars at the back of their train the morning, YaUiier than jockeying for space in front end cars that arrive closest to the station When they get off, the train, commuters can, walk directly through the passages to the most convenient entrance, Cars can be boarded directly In the evening, the walk to the same terminal entrance will be shorter than going all the way to the station, and commuters can, board, i cars at the front end of 'This is a very exciting new element to the service that is being provided to commuters ana visitors," said Fred president of the Grand Central Partnership, the association of businesses that provides Security, sanitation and other services in the area ''Any opportunity that there is for people to get around more conveniently, is a major step in the right direction." It has not been an easy step Grand Central North originally to be completed in December 1996. But complications, including costs that lifted the final price tag from $47 million to U2 million, repeatedly aeiayea ine opening H'lldefinitefyusdit; anything to make the mmtni iff a little ncir JohnFTynn Tanytown 4 Cindy RafenanPOughkeeptto Journal fila Workers from Vincent Colletti'and'Co. Inc.

plaster a ceiling irt Grard Centra) Terminal in New York during last year's renovations. more. The focus is on making it eas ier for people to commute project And even MTA downplayed the opening of Grand Central North. Announcements were placed in outbound trains Monday and last night, but thert was no release to the media Vrooman said the MTA wanted to be sure everything worked before a grand opening in September' As for the delays, Vrooman cited the project's complexity "One major problem and cause (of the delays) is the complexity of working in space that goes back to 1913," he said, referring to the year Grand Central opened Another Droblerti. the railroad has said, is that Yonkers Contracting did nolf initially put enough time and workers on the job.xA call to Yonkers Contracting was not returned yesterday Nevertheless, Grand Central North is expects! to be worth the wait The decor is meant jLo complement the terminal's main hall.

Passages are decorated with cast glass tiles and ceramic mosaics representing visions of the night sky from different cultures. The ceilings of the east west passages are the same blue green color of the station's main hall and feature pinpoint recessed lighting intended to mimic the "constellations," of the terminal ceiling Two tunnels under 45th, 47th Two east west passages run under 45th and 47th streets and connect via 37 stairways, five escalator; and six elevators, with two north south passageways that are actually the platforms for tracks "22 and 31 One way or another, every track is linked to each of the! four entrances. "This will balance out the trains." said Richard Cataggio, chairman of To make it even easier, at least in the beginning, dozens of Metros North customer sefvice representatives will be at all the key intersections to offer assistance. includes video abled people is at 47th and Madison, via an elevator, There are no bathrooms In Grand Central North, and th4 pas iages are not air conditioned Fans will circulate fresh air that 'will be heated in, winter. IT1 definitely Use to" make the commute a little' easier" aid Tarytown resident John Flynn, Who works for a bank on 57th Street.

To assist people whcy'jeave the station via the exit at 47th and Madison, the Grand Central Part nership haslet up a new taxi standi at that, corner. At least initially; a dispatcher will help with passenger pickups. Grand Central 'North's hours of operation are froir 6 30 a m. to 9 30 pm. Weekdays.

On weekends and holidays' OiP Helmslevf rv Walk ine complex inciuaes viaeo 77'i screens displaying schedule and taSftsmSKA 'Metro North ticket machines, seven teiepnone names, tour commissary carts and a satellite station manager's office. For security, there are closed circuit television cameras monitored by MTA police, who have a substation at the west end of the 47th Street passage. Access fortys "lt sound's 'a little said Ossining resident Auenlio Nigra, who works at 55th Street and TJiird Avenue. "But I know I'll like the idea on rainy days of being able to get inside at 48th Street." z. FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE They're Almost rjfcaK .1 HWaVttaW "NT s' In Wappingers Falls Drivers wanted! IN BRIEF The project contractor, Yonkers Metro North Commuter Coun Contracting, has been fined $10,000 cil.

"Everyone always wants to go to a day since Dec. 31 for each addi the head end. People will recognjze tional day it took to complete the that they don't have to do that any I 1 cops are strengthening the "blue, wall of silenge instead of trying to tear it down, black law enforcement officers said Wednesday. The charge 1 comes. a day after the union, i the Patrolmen's Benevolent Associa tion, called for Charles Schwarz to 4 Patakl will boost Bush fund raising AIDAUV TkwH.rbt.ro InsiM siderable fund raising 7 muscle Sfhwan! behind his earher endorsement, was convicted by a federal jury on June's of holding, down Louima while Officer Justin Volpe sodom 'ized him with a broken broomstick.

President Clinton is getting a vacation for his birthday this year if you can call dowji time interwo ven witn political events a vacation. Gov. George Pataki plans a series of October events across the state for Texas Gov. George W. Bush's presidential campaign.

Ratakj advisers said Wednesday they expect a Jl.OOO a person, Oct 5 fiinH raifiinff recpntinn at Manhattan hotel to alone raise at least $2 Clinton and his famiry depart Thurs million fqr the already well heeled tX for a two week respite divided Bush Campaign. between twp places. Martha's Vine A day before the, New York City famJyfavorite, and East event, Pataki and Bush will be hop? Hampton and Skaneateles, a nod to scotching across upstate with a fund Hillary Rodham Clinton's senatorial falsing breakfast (n Buffalo, a iunr aspirations. cneon in Kocnesier ana a cociaau new juw iare airune reception in Syracuse. Ticket prices promised Wednesday to fly Buffalo, for those three events will likely also be $1,000 per person, Pataki fund raiser Uatny Blaney said.

The New' York City, event will be 'held in the very hotel ballroom where Pataki endorsed Bush on May 24 via a closed circuit television link to Texas, after scrapping his own dreams of runiung for president next year. The New York governor is sull mentioned aVa potential Bush running mate. Cop running for Senate NEW YORK A retired New York police lieutenant has beaten Rudolph'GlUliani and Hillary Rodham Clinton to the political punch. Peter Ruane, a Democrat, announced Wednesday that he's running for Daniel Patrick Moyni han's Senate seat "Right now, I'm standing alone, in the breeze," said Ruane, 54, the sole official Democratic candidate. He declared his run at the West Side studio where he had rehearsed his off Broadway play, "Behind the Blue Wall," which dramatizes police officers' struggles with corruption, racism and sexism.

Union support for a former officer convicted in the Abner Louima torture trial sends the message that Syracuse and Rochester routes within its first 18 months in busi ness. Pledging airfares about p5 percent less than current, prices, JetBlue Airways plans to begin operations early next year. Journalunre services It Takes Money To fl fiey l1 iviaRe ivic SO'LET'S GEYtO WO RK.4 For ovr 15Qvas, wt JjV. i 't iiHeyhitfijesks grow ami tlwt't iWiJ" we're unique. Vikn vrieuce.

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