Today, international and regional transit leaders convened in Hauppauge to discuss bus rapid transit at an event organized by Tri-State, the office of Senator Chuck Schumer, the office of Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, and numerous other local groups, such as Vision Long Island, the Porter-Trejo Action Network, the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council, the Long Island Federation of Labor—AFL-CIO, and the Long Island Business Council. By the end of the day’s proceedings, it was clear that there are a variety of ways for Long Island to boost its transit system and economy through BRT.
The event opened with County Executive Bellone’s overview of the Connect Long Island plan, which aims to spur growth in Suffolk County by significantly improving the area’s transit system. Today’s presentation came just a few months after the convening of the Connect Long Island task force, which is taking steps towards that transformative vision. Funding has already been granted for an alternatives analysis that will examine rapid transit along the Route 110 corridor [pdf].
“Bus Rapid Transit makes sense for Long Island as we continue to build towards a growing economy,” County Executive Bellone said at the event.
Long Island business leaders in attendance agreed that improvements to the transit system will help Long Island grow.
“When we help employers, employees, customers, students and neighbors gain the ability to move easily without delay from place to place we will be planting a seed that will bolster our economy and enhance Long Island’s quality of life in many ways,” said Michael DeLuise, president of the Melville Chamber of Commerce and one of the organizers of today’s event.
Following the overview of the Connect Long Island plan, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy U.S. and Africa Director Annie Weinstock spoke more generally about the features that make for the best bus rapid transit systems: dedicated right of way, off-board fare collection, platform-level boarding, clear communication, and more. Weinstock also explained that governments must carefully plan BRT systems in order to maximize investment near the new transit line—streetscape improvements, tax incentives, and zoning can all be ingredients for a successful, thriving, transit-oriented development corridor.
A panel of regional experts responded to Weinstock’s presentation, supplementing her international knowledge with an intimate look at tri-state area bus rapid transit systems. Moderated by Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander, the panel featured NYCDOT Director of Transit Development Eric Beaton, NJ Transit Assistant Director for Strategic Investment R.J. Palladino, and Hartford, Connecticut Capitol Regional Council of Governments Executive Director Lyle Wray. To view their presentations, along with Weinstock’s, click here.
Town of Babylon Deputy Supervisor Antonio Martinez delivered the day’s closing remarks. For a full list of the event’s organizers and sponsors, see today’s press release.
More than ten years ago, the New York State Department of Transportation’s LITP2000 planning study recommended an island wide BRT system operating in dedicated BRT lanes, HOV lanes and when necessary, general use lanes. ITS measures including signal priortization were also included.
These recommendations were soundly derided by MTR, who turned out at meetings with disinformation packages, and scare the senior and taxpayer strategies.
Had this program been supported and progressed, it would have been sitting there waiting for funding right when the ARRA stimulus funding became available, and, in a perfect world, would have garnered a good deal of funding.
Thanks in no small part to the efforts of MTR, the study’s recommendations were shelved, never to emerge from Albany again.
[…] at a key site along the potential Route 110 BRT corridor. In October 2012, Tri-State held a BRT symposium in support of a potential Route 110 BRT project, especially if it was linked to smarter land use […]