Dan's Papers - October 26, 2007 - Reaction Mixed To Subway Plan

Reaction to the planned new subway stop at the Lobster Inn drew mixed reviews from officials and the general riding public.

"We were shocked to discover that this subway stop was being built without our knowledge," said Southampton Town Supervisor Patrick Heaney. "Though we welcome any help we can get in assisting the motoring public through this difficult winter with County Road 39, we do wonder if they have all their permits. Also, much of the subway's route crosses town underneath owned land. I'm not sure they can do that."

"Somebody told me the subway tunnel goes right under my house," said Melvin Dominicki of Shinnecock. "I worry about ventilation and fumes. What's being done?"

"I have no record of this having been approved by the County Board of Health," said County Board of Health Commissioner Ed Fried. "Nothing gets built on this scale without our approval."

"I hope the Sunrise stop opens soon," said Nancy Harry of Commack, who commutes to Southampton Hospital where she works as a nurse five days a week.

"What's all this going to cost? It must be billions," said Fred Mack, a car dealer in Southampton. "If it makes the price of a token go up, I'm not in favor of it."

"We had two people fall down a hole last week while we were on a jog through Quogue," said Tom Franklin, who runs the Southampton Trails Society. "Some people down there helped them up. So now we know what it was. I'm all for it if it helps global warming."

"I think it is just awful that the first thing visitors are going to see when they get to the end of Sunrise is a parking lot with 9,000 cars in it," said Wendy Mack of the Southampton Chamber of Commerce. "Can't they screen it with some trees or something? Or maybe block it with some sculptures?"

"After the announcement at the press conference, the director of the Subway said that they didn't need an environmental impact statement because they are not disturbing the environment, they are UNDER the environment." Carl Grove, the director of the EPA, said, "I do not buy that. We are filing a lawsuit. They won't be opening the stop this year or even next year, and you can count on that."

"Is there a third rail down there?" asked Mrs. Melvin Dominicki, the wife of the man who had been told the tunnel runs right under his house. "I wouldn't want a third rail running under my house. I have three kids."

"There are endangered species all through the route they took to get from Shinnecock to Sunrise," said Andy Sabin of the Nature Conservancy. "We intend to find one of these creatures and put a stop to it."

"Can I buy books of tokens?" asked Eileen Drembeck of Hampton Bays.