LaValle made the request in a letter to DOT Commissioner Joseph Boardman and Suffolk County Executive Robert Gaffney.

Several Westchester, Rockland and Long Island East End municipalities are collaborating on “sustainable development studies” with NY State DOT regional offices and other agencies (MTR #’s 311, 314).The studies are attempts to combine a variety of policy tools, including town zoning and state transportation investments, to address the fragmentation of land use and transportation decision-making.The studies have encouraged strong citizen participation, community “visioning” processes and development of a variety of policy scenarios.In some cases, like along Route 303 in Rockland County, the process is helping resolve differences between the State DOT, local officials and citizens.Staff of the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council have been instrumental in developing the approach.

In northern Brookhaven, NY State DOT has active capital projects to widen Routes 347, 25 and 112.The projects for 347 and 25, have already run into strong civic opposition (MTR #’s 282, 290).

LaValle’s letter said that “the community visioning and joint land use/transportation perspectives that sustainable development studies employ can best resolve the debate over the future of Route 347 as well as issues that have arisen regarding Routes 112 and 25.Overall, the joint planning approach seems like the best chance to produce a positive outcome.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Council annual meeting in March, chaired by DOT Commissioner Joseph Boardman, spotlighted and lauded the sustainable development studies.Governor Pataki’s Quality Communities Task Force also underscores the studies and urges NY State DOT to increase its collaboration with local government.

At a March 2 meeting in Hauppauge, a DOT official said that if Brookhaven requested a sustainable development study for Route 347, the Dept. was open to that approach.

But it’s unclear how or whether DOT has responded to Brookhaven in this case. Calls to the Brookhaven Town office for information this week were not returned.