Staten Island has one main line of train transportation that runs from Tottenville in the Southwest to the St. George Ferry Terminal in the Northeast. This single line of transport is very different from the rest of the city, with subway lines scattered across all the boroughs. Staten Island of today is severely lacking in rapid transportation, and actually has less options than the island did a century ago. Staten Island Rapid Transit in 1890 consisted of the main South Shore line that is still present today, along with a North Shore Branch that ran from the St George Ferry Terminal and extended into New Jersey where transfers to interstate travel were available. A small South Beach branch also existed that transported passengers to the once bustling South Beach Boardwalk.
The infrastructure of the North Shore branch, although badly decayed by time, still exists on the North Shore of Staten Island, though many Staten Island residents may not be aware of it. After shutting down in 1953, the railway tracks have gone mostly unused aside from a freight connection into New Jersey at the Western end of the line. This leaves the North Shore of the island with no rapid transit option, and they remain reliant on the crowded bus systems, or personal vehicles, both of which contribute to the always increasing traffic on the island. The residents of these North Shore communities are largely minority and lower income compared to the rest of the island, and would benefit greatly from decreased commutes through utilization of the North Shore infrastructure.
Demographics of the most populated communities along the North Shore Branch:
| Neighborhood | % White Population | % Black Population | % Latino Population | % Asian Population | % living in Poverty | |
| New Brighton | 25.1% | 35.7% | 26.8% | 3.2% | 38.4% | |
| Snug Harbor | 34.9% | 34.2% | 27.7% | 2.2% | 13.9% | |
| Port Richmond | 8.2% | 34.3% | 54.5% | 2.3% | 28.2% | |
| Marniner’s Harbor | 14.3% | 38.5% | 40.8% | 3.9% | 19.3% | |
| Arlington | 7.2% | 51.0% | 31.8% | 0.8% | 35.4% | |
|
Average |
17.9% |
36.3% |
36.3% |
2.5% |
27.0% |
|
Demographics of the most populated communities along the South Shore Branch:
| Neighborhood | % White Population | % Black Population | % Latino Population | % Asian Population | % Living in Poverty | |
| St. George | 42.4% | 10% | 26.2% | 18.6% | 20.7% | |
| Clifton | 7.8% | 41.2% | 36.5% | 12.7% | 28.6% | |
| Old Town | 72.8% | 2.3% | 13.0% | 7.7% | 10.5% | |
| New Dorp | 78.1% | 0.5% | 16.4% | 4.1% | 10.7% | |
| Eltingville | 82.9% | 0.2% | 4.9% | 8.5% | 5.1% | |
| Pleasant Plains | 82.4% | 1.8% | 11.0% | 4.5% | 4.4% | |
| Tottenville | 85.9% | 0.5% | 11.0% | 2.3% | 6.5% | |
|
Average |
64.6% |
8.1% |
17.0% |
8.3% |
12.4% |
|
A map demonstrating the difference in demographics along the two lines of the Staten Island Railway using the data provided above:
What should be done with the North Shore Branch of the Staten Island Railway is a question that has been addressed by many groups throughout the years but has never gotten an answer. Between groups calling for the track to be turned into a park similar to Manhattan’s Highline, and the MTA stalling on any rehabilitation plans, the future of the railway is very uncertain. The MTA did an “alternative analysis” study in 2008 in order to estimate the cost and feasibility of a heavy rail, light rail, or bus rapid transit line on the site of the North Shore branch. This old study concluded that bus rapid transit was the most attainable and cost effective option for the route.
To determine the best solution for the community, we would need to assess the needs according to those living within it. The best way to do so would be to utilize surveys in order to get the opinion of those already relying on the public transportation present on the island, particularly the bus system. Surveys would be performed along the bus routes servicing the North Shore of the island. At bus stops along the route, bus riders can be asked how long their commute is, if it would be shortened by rapid transit along the North Shore Branch, and which form of rapid transit they are most likely to use. Online surveys could also ask riders to map their daily commutes and times at which they travel in order to determine if the station locations are still relevant, or if other stops may need to be added.
