Dan's Papers - September 5, 2008 - Commuter Rail Ends, Transit Study Begins

The construction on County Road 39, which was completed at the beginning of the summer, reconfigured the road by changing it from one to two lanes each way, and slightly eased the commuting woes of the South Fork. But it's just a temporary fix, says Assemblyman Fred Thiele, who estimates population growth on the East End will increase significantly over the next 10 years, creating new traffic problems for the area.

Though the South Fork Commuter Connection, the shuttle service provided by the Long Island Rail Road for local commuters during the last school year, won't be offered again this year - ridership dropped from between 7,000 and 8,000 during the height of construction on CR-39 to 3,200 after the work was completed. A feasibility study is currently being completed to determine whether public transportation can be brought to the East End. And a mass transit system serving the five East End towns is a definite possibility, said Thiele.

"The East End has been underserved by mass transit since forever," Thiele said. "With traffic congestion only getting worse, the need for increased rail and bus service is critical. This past year, we proved that residents will use trains and buses to get to work...Now we need to take the steps to make this service permanent. We need to know what schedules will work best, what new infrastructure will be needed and how much it will cost."

Currently, the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center is studying an Existing Conditions Report, a proposal by a local nonprofit group, Five Towns Rural Transit (5TRT), to bring a mix of rail and bus service to both Forks and connecting the five local towns, thus making it easier for residents to commute. "The shuttle proved that mass transit could work on the South Fork, even with the limited number of existing trains that could only meet the needs of a limited number of commuters," Thiele said.

Further, while the CR-39 reconstruction has relieved congestion for commuters to Southampton Village and points north on North Sea Road, congestion remains unabated to the east. Travelers with destinations between Water Mill and Montauk still face harrowing commutes. Mass transit must be part of the South Fork's future. The Volpe study will be completed by the winter of 2009 and is 90 percent funded by a New York state grant.

"The Existing Conditions Report establishes a valuable benchmark which we can use to identify transit alternatives," said Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot. "From there we can proceed with a preliminary evaluation and use it as a basis to make better decisions about transportation issues."

"An understanding of existing conditions lays the foundation for evaluation and development of alternatives," said Southampton's Town Transportation Director Thomas Neely. "As part of the stages to follow over the next few months, we will be looking for feedback from all interested parties."

Thiele, along with County Legislator Jay Schneiderman and members of the South Fork Shuttle Committee, recently met with LIRR President Helena Williams and Suffolk DPW Commissioner Gil Anderson regarding the future of mass transit on the East End. Though they confirmed that the shuttle bus service would not be brought back this year, they also determined that mass transit on the East End "is a viable option," and "all efforts should be made to establish a permanent shuttle system."

Citing continually rising gas prices, traffic and parking problems, the lack of space for building new roads and a rural quality of life that's constantly "under siege," Hank de Cillia, former executive director of 5TRT, says better organized rail and bus service is just what the area needs.

Some changes would need to be made in order for it to happen, he said, including utilizing smaller, more energy-efficient trains during non-peak hours, as well as reopening old rail stations (such as Southampton College) and constructing new ones (in areas such as Calverton).

All towns have made the Existing Conditions Report available for residents on their websites.