The story so far: The LITP plan calls for construction of 180 new highway lane-miles across Nassau and Suffolk Counties.  60 of the miles would be new HOV lanes (in a tribute to Orwell, DOT originally called them “bus lanes that admit carpools”).  To keep up a mass transit veneer, DOT is promoting a new express bus system it says will use the HOV lanes.  But the agency says nothing about funding it, how it will be set up institutionally, or how long after HOV lane construction the buses will be deployed.  DOT is trying to further embellish the scheme by labeling it the “Long Island Rapid Commute” (LIRC) system and morphing good old buses into “Rapid Commute Vehicles” (RCVs).

Truth in acronyms: Next time you encounter a DOT official wielding jargon like he just walked out of a military trade show, here’s what you need to know:

LITP = Long Island Total Paving plan

LIRC = Long Island Road Construction system

RCV =  Road Construction Veil

The “RCV” slide-show is on-line at www.litp2000.com.  DOT has scheduled a dozen info-mercial open houses in May and June to pitch the plan.  At the kick-off event in Huntington last Thursday, two people showed up to talk things over with DOT staffers.