In the early stages of the 2012 presidential campaign, the focus is on typical topics: jobs and taxes at home, threats and responses abroad. But whether the rhetoric reflects it or not, some very local New York City issues could be shaped by who prevails in the fight for the White House and control of Congress. The current issue of City Limits magazine looks at how New York and other major American cities are being—and will be—shaped by federal policy, or its absence. For the five boroughs, perhaps no federal issue looms larger than transit. The high cost and cross-border complexity of many infrastructure projects means New York looks to the feds for money and leadership.
At Grand Central, the Metropolitan Transportation Agency is in the midst of its East Side Access project, which will finally give Long Island Railroad commuters direct access to Grand Central, the Metro North Railroad and the Lexington Avenue subway lines.
Photo by Marc Fader
