Traffic might make me leave Long Island. Was the Island designed the wrong way? (Hempstead: home, employment) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Anthony314 · 10-05-2010, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gpsma

Anytime you people who drive to work want to trade with a LIRR commuter, you will have many takers. I don't like driving in traffic but lets face it...you are comfortable in your car, no blond brainless soccer mom yacking on a cell phone in the seat next to you, your satellite radio playing your favorite music, your coffee in the car mug all nice and warm, and your two hour commute (on a bad day) barely longer than a commuters time on a good day.

Stop complaining.

Well that's not entirely true. I know a lot of people that would rather take the LIRR than drive. It's more consistent and they get a lot of reading done. The problem is that the LIRR isn't affordable anymore.

nyliguy · 10-05-2010, 12:57 PM

Mass Transit to office areas like Melville would be something nice. Could increase the talent pool but lower jobs for locals. I'd imagine no railroad would limit people making a reverse commute from NYC to Long Island.

Anthony314 · 10-05-2010, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pequaman

2 hours?? Wow, what town were you coming from and going to?

Long Beach to Carle Place. It usually takes me 25 minutes tops. Much less than your average NY commute.

I leave work at 4 and I pull into my driveway at 4:20 sometimes. It's the commute in the morning that is killing both me and my wife who commutes to garden city. she is actually thinking of quitting her job and working in the city because she would rather take the LIRR.

Pequaman · 10-05-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony314

Long Beach to Carle Place. It usually takes me 25 minutes tops. Much less than your average NY commute.

I leave work at 4 and I pull into my driveway at 4:20 sometimes. It's the commute in the morning that is killing both me and my wife who commutes to garden city. she is actually thinking of quitting her job and working in the city because she would rather take the LIRR.

ah ok. That is rough in the AM. My advice would be to have google maps on your phone or check on your computer before you leave work. "check" the Traffic box. If you see all black or Dark Red on the mdwbrook, then jump off at merrick rd E to Merrick Ave. It will take you 30 minutes tops.
Or an even better approach would be invest in a GPS with real-time traffic or just a GPS (if you know have a good sense of direction) and take a different way.
The thing about LI is you can always find another way (unless it's friday rush hour). You could even take merrick rd to the wantagh and fly up to the northern state to carle pl. in 30 minutes. That's why I was shocked to hear 2 hours. I used to take a brutal commute to Queens from LI and it never took me over 1 1/2 hrs even in the worst traffic conditions.

Believe me when I tell you this, LI is not bad compared to other places, it is universal in any high density areas. It's bad everywhere, some areas like the carolinas that are getting an influx of people do not have the roads in place to handle their busy seasons. And there you have no alt routes. You are stuck on 1 main road for hours that a million people want to take at the same time.

Anthony314 · 10-05-2010, 01:17 PM

I took the Merrick to Merrick Ave way today actually.. haha. That was bad too. Today was especially bad, so I am just venting my frustration. Believe me, I defend Long Island all the time. I usually don't bash it at all. It's just that, something needs to be done with traffic.

This got me thinking.... Why can't they build a monorail that connects Freeport LIRR to Westbury LIRR? It just has to go up the Meadowbrook parkway. It can stop at the Mall, Hofstra and Coliseum. barely any residential will get touched.

Gpsma · 10-05-2010, 01:38 PM

Also remember that this time of year you have more people at work. Vacations are over, kids are back to school and employees are back to work. The LIRR and the highways definitely are much more busier.

Im sure your commute was not as bad during the summer months.

motoracer51 · 10-05-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

It needs more Railways , unfortunately there is no space for them anymore and they'll have to be built above the wide Highways and Boulevards. Thailand does this and a few over countries yes its expensive but it does pay off with slowly reducing traffic congestion. It also needs a network of Smart highways and Transit Developments. LI has been slow in the TOD dept , unlike the rest of the region.

Yep. Just raise everyone's income and property taxes to pay for it.

Gkap190 · 10-05-2010, 05:31 PM

Here is an idea.

China's Two-Lane-Wide "Straddling Bus" Carries Passengers Overhead, Lets Traffic Pass Underneath | Popular Science

haywood16 · 10-05-2010, 07:43 PM

Illegal aliens and illegal apartments = more traffic

executiV · 10-05-2010, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony314

Long Beach to Carle Place. It usually takes me 25 minutes tops. Much less than your average NY commute.

Just so you know there was a huge construction truck or something headed north this morning, around 7ish. The crew had both of the lanes blocked to get it to its destination. I saw a ton of traffic following this blockade, I suppose you were in it.