Long Island seeks more transit-oriented development

Elected officials on Long Island presented a regional transportation and development plan Oct. 6 that would help generate transit-oriented developments in the suburban area east of New York City and make it easier for some residents to commute without a car.

Long Island Business News reported that supervisors of several towns, including Steve Bellone of Babylon, unveiled a plan called "Connect Long Island," which would reopen a Long Island Rail Road station at Republic Airport, build a second track for the commuter railroad on a section nearly 18 miles long, and establish a bus route on a highway where much of Suffolk County's employment is concentrated. 

The smart growth organization Vision Long Island praised the plan, which is supported by officials from communities such as Huntington, Islip, Brookhaven, Farmingdale, and Patchogue. 

In its "Smart Talk" e-mail newsletter, Vision Long Island said:

The plan has several components, many which emphasize Smart Growth principles. It focuses on Route 110, Suffolk County’s major workforce hub with 135,000 (or 20%) of the County’s jobs. 110 is also infamous for traffic congestion, giant parking lots, sprawling office parks and big box stores.

Thursday’s press conference was held at the Multiplex Cinema on Route 110 and Conklin Street. While re-opening the nearby Republic Airport LIRR station has long been a goal of Supervisor Bellone, it had previously failed to gain traction or funding. Now, re-opening the station will be paired with several new components, including a new mixed-use center on the giant asphalt lot that currently surrounds the Multiplex. This site will become a walkable town center with a blend of retail, residential, and entertainment uses.

Another central piece of the plan is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route along the Route 110 corridor, which will provide a much-needed North-South connection for LI’s transit network. The BRT proposal was recently analyzed in a study that was supported by Senator Fuschillo. Funding for large-scale transit projects are key to the plan, including adding a second LIRR track from Farmingdale to Ronkonkoma and to the East Side Access.

Not only are these leaders working together and thinking big, but there is a sincere integration of local communities and their revitalization initiatives. The plan focuses on supporting existing and proposed transit-oriented developments and revitalization efforts in Mineola, Farmingdale, East Farmingdale, Wyandanch, Brentwood, Ronkonkoma, Copiague, Bay Shore and Patchogue.

The press release for the event states, “As standalone developments these efforts are important to our region because they help address regional challenges by creating new job opportunities, strengthening small businesses, creating vibrant places attractive to young people and diversifying our housing stock. But taken together, each TOD adds to the values of the TODs to which it connects, forming a whole greater than the sum of its parts.”