February 25th, 2004

NY Metropolitan Transportation Council
45-46 21st Street
Long Island City, NY 11101

The Longwood Alliance compliments New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC), for including many admirable goals and principles within its Regional Transportation Plan Update.

Contained in the plan are such laudable goals as: *Increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and non motorized users. *Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation and improve the quality of life.

*Increase awareness of the linkages between transportation planning and land-use planning to limit inadvertent patterns of sprawl.

* Enhance quality of life by providing for environment ally-responsible movement of people, goods and vehicles.

*NYMTC further states that the integration of land use and transportation planning is critical to the improvement of mobility and quality of life in the region...—

*NYMTC's Plan also sings the praises of context sensitive solutions . Within the Draft Plan it is stated that context sensitive solutions should improve the transportation system while addressing communities visions and interests.

These are excellent goals, however, they are not reflected in the projects identified. The proposed plan calls for the widening of Middle Country Road from CR 83 to Mt. Sinai Road to five lanes, and from Coram Mt. Sinai Road to CR 21. These areas are the subject of two planned pedestrian oriented centers. The plan calls for the widening of Portion Road CR16 from Rt. 97 to Ronkonkoma Ave. through the town of Lake Ronkonkoma. The plan calls for the widening of CR 16 from Rt. 112 to Rt. 27, and an additional lane on Montauk Highway through a planned community center. The plan calls for the widening of Rt. 112 from Old Town Road to Rt. 347. The plan calls for the widening of Rt. 112 from the LIE to Old Town Road. The plan calls for the widening of Cr 83 from Rt. 112 to 25A. The plan calls for the widening of Rt. 112 between Rt. 27 and the LIE. The Plan calls for the widening of Rt. 97 from Rt. 27 to Rt. 347. The plan calls for the widening of Rt. 111 from Rt. 76 to Rt. 347. The plan calls for the widening of CR 46 from Rt. 25 to Rt. 27. , and on and on and on.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation

The discussion document also states that NYMTC has developed a greater appreciation of the value and benefits of walkable and bikeable communities. It further states that walking and bicycling should be encouraged. However, it at the same time endorses the widening and enhancement of roadways with design speeds in excess of 40 & 50 mph. Unfortunately, it has been found that pedestrians and cyclists will flee from roadways with such high design speeds. Therefore, NYMTC is stating that it wishes to encourage walkable bikeable designs yet it puts forth a plan which in fact will discourage use by pedestrians and cyclists.

The discussion document further states that additional support should be given to main streets and walkable downtowns and neighborhood retail corridors. It goes on to state that such corridors should invite pedestrian circulation through urban design excellence, and should tame vehicular traffic.

NYMTC¹s Focus Must Change

The focus of NYMTC in Suffolk County is clearly not the building of a diversified transportation network, or the reduction of air pollutants, or the creation of bicycle or pedestrian friendly streetscapes, even though its plan states that it should be, and it is certainly not the reduction of our dependence on the automobile. The focus of NYMTC is not to promote energy conservation and improve the quality of life or reduce sprawl, even through its plan states that it should be, and the focus of NYMTC is certainly not to insure that future transportation plans reflect the concerns and visions of communities even though its own plans states that it should. Indeed the plan put forth by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council reflects, not the communities vision, but only the vision of DOT, and DPW engineers. The focus of NYMTC and its members in Suffolk County is simply to move cars as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Requests:

The Longwood Alliance, therefore, requests that this draft plan be changed so that it truly protects our environment, and truly attempts to meet Federal Air Quality Standards. NYMTC¹s overdependence on road widenings to meet our transportation needs will not help our region meet federal and state air quality standards.

We request that NYMTC¹s plan address increases in demand not through the short term solution of road widening, and additional lanes, but by creating an interconnected roadway network, by using intersection treatments such as efficient roundabouts and by cooperating with communities and municipalities who are working cooperatively to reduce sprawl and create pedestrian/bicycle friendly village centers.

We ask that this plan reflect the desire of communities in Brookhaven for the creation of roadways which stress safety above speed. We request that the Regional Plan, therefore, require the addition of engineering techniques which reduce the speed of cars in everyone of its proposed projects. We request that roadways which run through community centers be designed for speeds which will encourage their use by pedestrians, i.e. no higher than 25 - 30 mph. We request that at least 10% of NYMTC¹s budget be used to enhance our streetscapes for pedestrians and cyclists.

We request that NYMTC work to reduce demand on roadways by investing in the diversification of our transportation network. Such diversification should include enhanced investment in mass transit, particularly Suffolk Counties inefficient, and under utilized bus system.

The Longwood Alliance is hopeful that NYMTC and our elected state and federal officials take seriously both NYMTC¹s obligation to seek public input, and its obligation to implement its laudable goals and objectives.

Sincerely,

Connie Kepert
President
The Longwood Alliance