STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The MTA plans to complete construction on seven large monopoles along the Staten Island Railway (SIR) by the end of the year in an effort to upgrade the dated radio communications currently in use.
The current system on the SIR is over 25 years old, despite having a life span of just 15 years when first installed. The MTA said this has resulted in dead spots and maintenance issues that can occasionally lead to service disruptions.
When first proposed in 2022, the original upgrade plans consisted of all seven monopoles constructed at a height of 150 feet, and they were met with fervent opposition from community members and local elected officials. The project was criticized due to the height of the monopoles, which many said did not fit the nature of the neighborhoods where they would be installed, with much of the borough consisting of one- and two-story buildings.
“On the surface, it appears to be absurd. They’re talking about erecting what would be the largest, tallest structures across the South Shore,” Borough President Vito Fossella said at the time. “We’re talking about 150 feet. It’s almost like a 15-story building in the heart of Bay Terrace.”
After the community pushback, a revised plan shortened six of the seven monopoles, while still providing the coverage needed to safely operate the railway. The agency also noted at that time that a location near the Pleasant Plains station was changed to a location near the Prince’s Bay station.
The current planned locations for the monopoles, according to the MTA, are:
- Clifton (Bay Street and Greenfield Avenue) – 100 feet
- Brady Central in Grasmere (near Leslie Avenue and Parkinson Avenue) – 150 feet
- New Dorp (Princeton Avenue and South Railroad Avenue) – 120 feet
- Bay Terrace (Bay Terrace and South Railroad Avenue) – 75 feet
- Annadale (parking lot of Annadale Station) – 75 feet
- Prince’s Bay (adjacent to Prince’s Bay Station) – 100 feet
- Arthur Kill (adjacent to Arthur Kill Station) -…
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