Brookhaven community leaders led by the Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Association (ABCO) promoted their "5-point Plan for a Better Route 347 Project" (see MTR #278) with State Assemblyman Steven Englebright and Suffolk County Legislator Vivian Fisher at a press conference Tuesday. They called for creation of an overall corridor plan that unites highway and land use planning before DOT tries to proceed with a plan to widen the highway.

"This road will become a permanent parking lot if there is not a comprehensive master vision. It would be very helpful if the DOT would try to think outside the box," Englebright told Newsday. "Anything short of [an integrated land use/transportation initiative] is a high cost short term solution to a long term problem," said Connie Kepert, ABCO president.

A DOT spokesperson said the Department is interested in land use questions, pointing to the agency's involvement in collaborative projects with municipalities in the Hudson Valley (MTR #274). But the spokesperson appeared to indicate that the Department would await a municipal initiative before changing its approach. DOT's Route 347 project will add new through lanes for the length of the highway, as well as single or dual turning lanes at many intersections.

DOT has still not released traffic data associated with the project that environmental and community groups have requested for about one year.