Waiting for the bus to take her granddaughter home to Brooklyn, Mary Joseph prepares for a long haul.
Reporter: How long does it take?
Joseph: Two or three hours.
Reporter: How many?
Joseph: Two or three hours.
Joseph lives in Queens Village, a part of the borough considered a transit desert.
Officials say most residents either drive or take a series of buses to get into town.
But now, lawmakers are hedging their bets on Belmont Park to alleviate some of those issues.
“It’s sitting here there’s hundreds and hundreds of parking spots here there are thousands of more on the back stretch,“ said Barry Grodenchik, (D) City Council.
Grodenchik is one of several politicians proposing that the famed race track become a transit hub.
He envisions a massive park and ride, with increased service at the existing Long Island Railroad station.
Supporters say the station is simply under-utilized, that it’s begging for more service in an area where commuters don’t have a lot of transportation options.
“We have park and ride facilities, you see them upstate to railroad stations to bus stops and all those kinds of things this is here, you don’t’ have to do anything the parking is here, it’s just sitting there,“ said Grodenchik.
However, Long Island Railroad officials say adding more service would create interference and delays at other branches.
They added that there already is a series of express buses in the area providing quick access into Manhattan.
Congressman Gregory Meeks, believes that doesn’t address the commuter problem. Seeing even bigger promise at Belmont.
“Belmont infrastructure that is already in place that should be utilized for commuter rail also, we need to utilize all the existing structures that we have,“ said Meeks.
Joseph’s granddaughter agrees, believing a transit hub nearby would get her home much sooner.
“Because we don’t have to walk all the way down there..it would be better down there,“ said 9 year old Gabrielle Acosta.