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Progress At Long Island’s "Black Box" DOT

Things are starting to change for the better at the Long Island regional office of NYSDOT, Region 10.

For years, TSTC, community groups, and smart growth advocates have criticized Region 10 for being too highway-oriented and dismissive of community interests. Calls for reform were heard from Montauk to Mineola (see MTR #s 278, 452, 482). Last year, however, advocates began meeting regularly with NYSDOT officials and community leaders to find solutions to troubled road projects and public processes. The first meetings were difficult, but the results of that work are starting to show.

Change #1: A “Green Route 347”

Advocates have fought various iterations of the 15-mile road expansion of Route 347 since at least 1999 (see MTR #245). In February, NYSDOT Commissioner Astrid Glynn announced a new approach to the project. The new Vision Plan for Route 347 involves a new suburban boulevard design, a 15-mile separated bike and pedestrian path, safety enhancements for pedestrians, and aesthetic improvements. Though the agency will widen the first, westernmost portion of the road, it says it is still considering alternatives for future sections.  Advocates hope this takes the form of a corridor planning study with the Town of Brookhaven that looks at densifying land uses to reduce future growth in driving and the need for a larger road. Region 10 staff is already approaching businesses about building on large parking lots that presently line the road. Commissioner Glynn has said this project will be a showcase for NYSDOT’s GreenLITES sustainability rating program, so the stakes are high.

Change #2: SafeSeniors program

In October, community advocates  gathered on Region 10’s doorstep after a Tri-State Transportation Campaign report found that the two most dangerous roads in the region for pedestrians were Hempstead Turnpike and Sunrise Highway, both on Long Island. A brave staffer from NYSDOT’s main office, Heather Sporn, attended the event and responded with promises for a “Safe Routes for Seniors” program. Governor Paterson formally announced the SafeSeniors program a few months later. It will target Hempstead Turnpike and Route 25/25A initially and possibly be expanded to other parts of the state.  The program is now in the planning stages and more information should be available in the next few months.

Change #3: Early community involvement in Sunrise Highway Corridor study

Last month, Region 10 convened the first of four meetings of the Sunrise Highway Corridor Project Advisory Committee. This group of local and county agencies, business, smart growth and transportation advocates (including TSTC), and other key stakeholders will help guide NYSDOT in the beginning stages of a study of the transportation needs in the communities surrounding Sunrise Highway.

It’s heartening to see Region 10 engaging key stakeholders so early in the planning process. Just as encouraging is the corridor study’s scope, which extends beyond the highway and into the towns on either side. This first meeting was intended to vet and provide input on the agency’s list of draft goals for the Corridor Plan. Advocates requested that reducing driving be added to the goals and urged NYSDOT to employ innovative outreach methods like walking tours and “place audits” that tend to highlight the needs of all road users. In addition to the meetings, the agency plans on holding a public involvement open house at the end of this month.

While there is still much progress to be made, these moves demonstrate that Commissioner Astrid Glynn is starting to make her mark on the agency’s regional offices.

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[…] — specifically, at the regional offices which handle most projects. Glynn was beginning to make progress at Long Island’s Region 10, where engagement from local advocates and pressure from agency […]

long island girl
15 years ago

this is great news hearing that there are a lot of progress with the project. hope it will be done soon.

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[…] candidate for this program. Region 10 (NYSDOT’s Long Island regional office) issued a “Vision Plan for a Green Route 347” last year that includes a suburban greenway and a more multimodal approach, a huge […]

Howard Cohen
Howard Cohen
15 years ago

Change #1: A “Green Route 347″
Advocates have fought various iterations of the 15-mile road expansion of Route 347 since at least 1999 (see MTR #245). In February, NYSDOT Commissioner Astrid Glynn announced a new approach to the project. The new Vision Plan for Route 347 involves a new suburban boulevard design, a 15-mile separated bike and pedestrian path, safety enhancements for pedestrians,
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**Bike path for who?
Only 5% of the US population ride bikes, over 750 fatalities a year, and 500,000 a year wind up in a hospitals emergency room. Here on Long Island a bike path will be used only 65 percent of the time, because of weather conditions (rain, snow and ice).
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and aesthetic improvements.
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Long Island’s Northern State Parkway is on of the nation’s most beautiful highways, the extension is route 347. Route 347 is also very beautiful right now, some of the center of the roadway needs maintenance but otherwise it is very nice as is.
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I would think the service road on the LIE would be a much better place for a bike path.
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Route 347 is a greenway currently (not a vision but fact)

Though the agency will widen the first, westernmost portion of the road, it says it is still considering alternatives for future sections. Advocates hope this takes the form of a corridor planning study with the Town of Brookhaven that looks at densifying land uses to reduce future growth in driving and the need for a larger road. Region 10 staff is already approaching businesses about building on large parking lots that presently line the road. Commissioner Glynn has said this project will be a showcase for NYSDOT’s GreenLITES sustainability rating program, so the stakes are high.
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I agree Route 347 needs to be expanded but not for pedestrians and bikes.

We don’t want people and kids on bikes riding along side this major road.

You want bike to travel on a separate road for bikes great, but not on Route 347.
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Is it possible to obtain a copy of the current engineering diagrams for the first 2 phase of this project.
Would like to see the road and where the expansion will expand to.

Thanks!

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[…] to keep or tear down the lightly used stub highway.  The first component of Long Island’s Route 347 Green Vision Plan is also earmarked for funding, although nothing is mentioned about the project’s out […]

Dan
Dan
7 years ago

Route 347 should’ve been turned into the expressway it was meant to be a long time ago, and all the rampant development taking place along the road is doing as much to block the process as any NIMBY-group. Furthermore, it should’ve been extended down to the Long Island Expressway between Exits 55 and 56. We don’t need a “Green 347,” and we sure as hell don’t need another version of Queens Boulevard.

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