THE RETURN OF THE GRAND PLAN: NEW YORK

This article discusses plans to complete a rail connection that will allow commuter trains from New York's Long Island to use Grand Central Station on Manhattan's east side. This change will cut one half hour off the commute of hundreds of thousands of commuters. The Regional Plan Association (RPA) issued a plan for the New York metropolitan area that includes this project. The RPA has no official or governmental authority, but it plays a major role in shaping New York's policy and development. The plan's basic principle is that without massive investment in infrastructure and public education, the New York region will no longer be competitive. The RPA proposes five strategies to deal with an array of planning issues, including completion of the Second Avenue subway and connection between Grand Central Station and Long Island using 20-year-old tunnels under the East River. Reaction to the plan, which also includes rail links to La Guardia and John F. Kennedy International Airports, has been mixed.