With the support of business, environmental and planning leaders, County Executive Thomas Suozzi presented details of his vision for the Nassau Hub last week. The Hub study, one of the region’s most ambitious smart growth initiatives, seeks to densify land use in central Nassau and develop intra-Nassau mass transit projects.

The list of transit alternatives has been narrowed to bus rapid transit (BRT), light rail and automated guideway transit (similar to the JFK Airtrain). Study data appears to put light rail on top.

Capital costs of BRT range from $330 million-$1.2 billion, light rail $500 million-$1.4 billion and automated guideway $730 million-$2.9 billion.

Light rail may have an operating cost advantage over BRT. Initial ridership forecasts for two different alignments — one in the central Hub area ("core system"), the other extending south to Freeport and northeast to Hicksville ("full system") — favor light rail or automated guideway service. Peak weekday morning ridership would reach 30,600 with the full system, with 6,600 on the core system. BRT ridership estimates are 23,000 with the full connection, and only 4,400 in the Hub area.

Suozzi described a central business district near EAB Plaza that would involve sinking the Hempstead Turnpike and creating open space above; another CBD would be planned at the coliseum to mesh with Charles Wang’s plan for a 60 story building. He said the potential is there for 7.7 million to 17 million square feet of redevelopment over 50 years. Residents and visitors would enjoy a pedestrian and bicycle "Emerald Ribbon," connecting Eisenhower Park, Hofstra and other destinations. Transit would serve these, and a "Golden Thread" corridor from Source Mall to Garden City Center to EAB Plaza would connect commercial areas.

The transit study should be completed this year. $2.7 million in federal funds are in hand for an environmental review for the project, but the remaining financing for the plan is unknown.

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