FF Summary

Special Travel 1. Install lanes that can accommodate bicycles and wheelchairs and re-designate bicycle lanes as wheelchair/bicycle lanes. In order to implement this solution, the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law must be changed. It is unsafe to mix bicycles and wheelchairs in bicycle lanes, requires new NYS Legislation (NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law defines manual and electric wheelchairs as pedestrians), does not significantly increase mobility or reduce congestion.

Auto Travel, Incident Management, HOV, ITS 1. 24-hour construction; close parkway and accelerate construction Does not manage congestion. Creates congestion on parallel roadwaysand does not comply with standard practices for maintenance of traffic.

2. Electric cars, alternate fuel vehicles, let HOV lane allow alternate fuel vehicles Does not manage congestion. Suggestion is, however, appropriate to achieve Clean Air Act Amendment goals.

Transit, Ridesharing, Commute Options 1. Free transit should be considered as a solution to traffic problems. Security issues require a minimum fare. However, modified fare structures will be evaluated.

2. Explore transportation related welfare-to-work issues as part of this subcommittee. Does not manage congestion. However, LITP 2000 is coordinating with the L.I. Bus Study which is reviewing this issue.

3. Option A - Nassau County Phase I LRT line that would run from Valley Stream to Oyster Bay and a Suffolk County Phase I that would run from Republic Airport to Stony Brook. Phase II and III would extend the initial lines. FRA regulations and safety issues prohibit running heavy rail and light rail on the same tracks. A modified LRT network that reflects this and other options, but with no-conflicting rail segments, will be tested.

4. Option B - a North-South Light Rail Line that draws from the Montauk, Long Beach, and Rockaway branches of the LIRR. The proposed line then goes along the West Hempstead Branch, continues along the old right of way to Country Life Press. . It would FRA regulations and safety issues prohibit running heavy rail and light rail on the same tracks. A modified LRT network that reflects this and other options, but with no-conflicting rail segments, will be tested.

5. Reopen the LIRR Central Branch between Garden City and Bethpage to increase Main Line and Port Jefferson Line capacity. Crosses Eisenhower Park and would add at-grade rail / roadway crossings. Would not increase Main Line capacity west of Floral Park. LIRR Network Strategy Plan includes adding a third track on the Main Line from Floral Park to Hicksville.

6. Seek labor agreements to allow more frequent off-peak LIRR service with smaller crews Does not manage congestion. Inconsistent with LIRR labor agreements. However, schedule changes are being developed by the LIRR,within existing labor agreements & policies .

Cargo Movement 1. Convert obsolete passenger stock to freight cars. Passenger cars cannot safely handle freight without being reconstructed. Building new freight cars is less expensive than reconstructing old passenger cars.

2. Continued support for the California Standards on zero-emission vehicles by 2003 (10% ZPG vehicles by 2003). Does not manage congestion. Suggestion is, however, appropriate to achieve Clean Air Act Amendment goals.

3. Increased lobbying on the Big Three auto makers to increase real gas mileage on trucks, vans, and sports vehicles from 12-15 mpg to 27.5. Does not manage congestion.

4. Adopt a pilot-program on LI by the year2001 for at least two LIRR railroad stations (maybe Massapequa and Babylon) where thin film solar photo-voltaic arrays would be located to serve commuters who drive electric cars and will need to "plug in" to the Does not manage congestion. Suggestion is, however, appropriate to achieve Clean Air Act Amendment goals.

5. Instead of using the existing/planned HOV configuration, allow five lanes per direction on the LIE. Prohibit trucks from the two left-most lanes, and allow several lanes on the right to be general-purpose lanes, or exclusive truck lanes. Inconsistent with local plans and the approved LIE EIS. Would negatively impact communities. HOV lanes permit management of congestion. As part of the LIE EIS process, general purpose (GP) lanes have already been evaluated. GP lanes did not compare as well as HOV lanes in meeting project goals for reducing vehicle miles of travel and vehicle emissions.

6. Instead of using the existing/planned HOV configuration, physically separate the LIE into local and express sections, as has been done in eastern New Jersey on Interstate 80. Inconsistent with local plans and the approved LIE EIS. Would negatively impact communities. HOV lanes permit management of congestion. As part of the LIE EIS process, general purpose (GP) lanes have already been evaluated. GP lanes did not compare as well as HOV lanes in meeting project goals for reducing vehicle miles of travel and vehicle emissions.

7. Make the LIE two levels. Inconsistent with local plans and the approved LIE EIS. Would negatively impact communities and the environment. Interchange construction for elevated or tunnel lanes requires additional property acquisition, involves traffic, noise, & air quality impac

Land Use/Finance 1. Increase front yard set backs to buildings and parking on major roadways outside from Village or Community Centers. Does not manage congestion. Suggestion is a design issue.

2. Have minimum landscaping/streetscape standards. Does not manage congestion. Suggestion is a design issue.

3. Develop a coordinated sign (road and business) management program. Does not manage congestion.

Hotline Telephone 1. Double-decker buses Double-decker buses may not fit under all bridges. However, higher capacity buses (e.g., articulated buses) are not fatally flawed.

2. Should have a bus go directly to the door of a store in the mall. Does not manage congestion.

3. Working people need and can benefit from free fare. If you have free fare, people will use transportation. Security issues require minimum fare. However, modified fare structures will be evaluated.

4. Belmont and Aqueduct Racetracks are only opened half the season. They both have enormous parking lots at these locations. Why not use the parking there? Does not manage congestion. Do not want to encourage auto trips through Nassau Co.

5. Why can’t we have train tunnels beneath parkways - SSP, NSP, LIE ? Tunnels would require construction in the water table. However, other transit options less environmentally disruptive are being considered.

6. Extend RR on northern division from Port Jefferson out to Wading River using an old freight line. Alternatively, build an extension from the main line in Medford and run it up to Shoreham/Wading River area. Would add at-grade rail / roadway crossings. However, extensions east of Port Jefferson and Main Lines will be considered.

7. HOV idea is the worst idea in the world. Why not just let everyone use all the lanes ? Inconsistent with the approved LIE EIS. HOV lanes permit management of congestion. As part of the LIE EIS process, general purpose (GP) lanes have already been evaluated. GP lanes did not compare as well as HOV lanes in meeting project goals for reducing vehicle miles of travel and vehicle emissions.

8. We need more lanes. HOV doesn’t work Inconsistent with the approved LIE EIS. HOV lanes permit management of congestion. As part of the LIE EIS process, general purpose (GP) lanes have already been evaluated. GP lanes did not compare as well as HOV lanes in meeting project goals for reducing

9. Need 5 lanes on LIE instead of 4 lanes & 1 HOV monstrosity. Inconsistent with the approved LIE EIS. HOV lanes permit management of congestion. As part of the LIE EIS process, general purpose (GP) lanes have already been evaluated. GP lanes did not compare as well as HOV lanes in meeting project goals for reducin

10. No HOV Lanes Inconsistent with the approved LIE EIS. HOV lanes permit management of congestion. As part of the LIE EIS process, general purpose (GP) lanes have already been evaluated. GP lanes did not compare as well as HOV lanes in meeting project goals for reducing

11. Construction should be done all at once. Does not manage congestion. Creates congestion on parallel roadways, cannot legally close a roadway between Memorial Day and Labor day, and does not comply with standard practices for maintenance of traffic.

12. Incentive plan to car pool. Build toll booths every few exits on the major highways and have booth operators count how many people in each car. For every receipt which proves you carpooled, you get a tax credit for tolls, gas and vehicle maintenance Does not manage congestion. Creates safety issue at toll plazas. However, other incentives to carpool are under consideration.

13. Two lines of LIRR have legs that branch down to Babylon RR line; which are Locust Manor & St. Albans/Rosedale. These two lines could be patched into airport. Leg coming down to Jamaica right into Kennedy. Disrupts communities. A JFK access plan from Jamaica via Van Wyck Expressway LRT is under design by Port Authority of NY & NJ.

14. When you get onto Meadowbrook Parkway, (from SSP) there is a bridge. Should build a tunnel like they did in Queens area of LIE to make it wider. Would allow cars getting on MSP to go further up the MSP about two miles and give them a longer ramp. Tunnels would require construction in the water table. However, the interchange has been studied, and alternative design options exist.

15. Would like to see some sort of subsidized round-the-clock transportation on the LI Ferries (Port Jefferson & Orient Point) so that a person missing the last ferry at night does not get stuck at either end. Does not manage congestion.

Transportation Mobility Committee 1. Free railroad and bus trips should be offered to encourage transit use. Security issues require minimum fare. However, modified fare structures will be evaluated.

2. LI Bus should investigate the use of electric buses. Suggestion is, however, appropriate to achieve Clean Air Act Amendment goals. LI Bus is currently implementing an alternative fuel fleet.

3. Build roadways parallel to existing highways to ease congestion (e.g., parallel to the Southern State Parkway). Would negatively impact communities and the environment. Requires additional property acquisition, involves noise and air quality impacts, fosters more SOV use, and negatively competes with other modes.

4. Prohibit school buses from the Parkways and Expressways. Does not manage congestion and would disrupt communities by adding through traffic to local streets.

5. Require responsive taxi service. Does not manage congestion. However, demand responsive paratransit service, regulated to establish & maintain service quality, will be considered.

6. Blimp Transportation Does not manage congestion. Engenders safety issues in a heavy air traffic corridor.