MTR 298, Long Island Local: Towns of Islip & Brookhaven

Mobilizing the Region
Issue 298 December 18, 2000

Long Island Local: Towns of Islip & Brookhaven

The Central Islip Main Street Alliance is considering a closed loop trolley bus service that would link the court complex, shopping centers north of Suffolk Avenue and the LIRR station. The local transit service would complement the LIRR station access jitney likely to begin service in the hamlet in February, thanks to collaborative work by Islip officials, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and NY State DOT's Long Island Region Improving Commuting grant program. A Central Islip survey conducted by the Alliance and State Senate Transportation Chair Cesar Trunzo found strong support for new local transit services.

At a press conference in Lake Ronkonkoma last Monday, Brookhaven civic, business and transportation groups, including Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Organization, the Tri-State Campaign and the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society called on Suffolk County to reconsider the widening of Suffolk Route 16, also known as Portion Road. The Suffolk County Department of Public Works announced plans to turn the road into a five lane, high-speed roadway at a public hearing a year ago.

The groups, which have been considering issues related to the project for much of this year, called on Suffolk to consider issues of induced traffic demand, safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists and quality of life issues, and asked that county planners consider a limited reconstruction that would include turn lanes, bike and pedestrian accommodations and some arterial traffic calming measures.