Transportation loomed large on the policy agenda that the Long Island Lobby Coalition brought to the halls of the capitol on Tuesday, during the Coalition’s third annual Albany lobby day. With Long Island Bus on the brink, MTA and NYSDOT capital plans facing a $10 billion funding gap, and Long Island ranking highest in the region for the most dangerous roads, the group’s message was loud and clear: good transportation choices are the key to the Island’s economic future.

The group had four primary transportation “asks” for their Long Island representatives:

• Pass the Complete Streets bill;
• Establish a Fix-it-First policy by capping road expansion projects to 5% of the Statewide Transportation Implementation Plan, which includes all state and local projects receiving federal funds;
• Find innovative funding mechanisms for transportation, like conversion of HOV lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes, congestion pricing, and tolling of East River bridges;
• Save Long Island Bus.

Amidst a bipartisan contingent of Assembly representatives and staff, Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach), a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, gave a particularly impassioned and frustrated plea to the group, asking for ideas on how to fund transportation. When Tri-State presented the idea of “choice lanes” on the LI Expressway—not a tax, but an option for single-occupancy vehicles to pay and jump into the HOV lane—there were murmurs of approval, with Assm. Andrew Raia (R-Huntington) exclaiming, “that’s a good idea!”

The group also met with all nine members of the Long Island Senate contingent, though the representatives were non-committal on the agenda.

Other issues on the table for the Coalition included reforming the state environmental review process, passing the Solar Jobs and Development Act, implementing a small business jobs creation tax credit, and sewer and infrastructure initiatives. The group later met with Senate Minority Leader John Sampson, Transportation Committee member Sen. Dan Squadron, and staff from the governor’s office.

Forty-five people came to speak their (collective) mind, representing 40 diverse organizations from Long Island: labor, environmental, smart growth, transportation, education, civic and Chambers of Commerce. As stated by Adrienne Esposito, co-organizer of the day and Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, the point was to bring a positive message—not a litany of complaints, but a clear agenda the Coalition could all support, despite their differences.

“We don’t have our finger on the pulse of the people of Long Island; We are the people!” Esposito said.