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Efficient, reliable, and accessible Mass Transit is a pipe dream on Long Island. I think we tend to look at NYC where certain neighborhoods have a variety of mass transit options and wonder why LI can not have the same. The reality is that mass transit in NYC was designed in the earlier part of the 20th century for the most travelled areas. It often surprises me when I talk to my friends who live in Queens about their daily commute and find out that, as bad as the LIRR is, they spend as much time communting as I do. Anyone who lives in the far ends of the outer boros probably could use light rail as much as we do.
Like i said before , you can stick Light Rail in the Median of wide streets. Do it right and accidents won't happen , and pedestrian safety will improve. Do it wrong and you'll end up like Houston. LI can use a few Light Rail lines , to act as North-South connectors between the LIRR lines. You can also use abandoned or lightly used Freight lines, that will save costs. I do beleave sometime over the next 2 decades some sort of LRT or Streetcar system will be built on LI.
What's the problem with the light rail in Houston? I heard the light rail has been successful in both Houston and Phoenix...
Anyway, I think Americans are really obsessed with the concept of lightrail because it is really sexy... But if your only concern is efficiency than a BRT system is the way to go... The most efficient system in the world is in Bogotá, Colombia and they only use BRTs...
My problem with a system following the LIE is pedestrian access and the fact that light rail is more for intra city travel and not for people traveling long distance... That's what commuter rail is for... The most practical light rail place would be central nassau a system connecting Mineola, Hempstead, West Hempstead, Freeport, Hicksville LIRR stations, Rossevelt field, NCC, Hofstra and other neighborhoods along the way... The light rail would basically be a circle... BRTs can be used along meadowbrook in the summer, and along major arteries in Nassau and Suffolk... BRTs would then be further supplemented through circulator buses, which would operate between small locations like Westbury and East Meadow...
In the end, I think Long Island is screwed because of NIMBYs but those three tools can have a lot of significant advantages to the area... A light rail out east would be rough because of the low density... But the university of West Virgina has a monorail type system connecting parts of the campus... This could work to connect SBU main campus, Hospital, Smithaven mall, and maybe even Islip airport... But we all know something like that would destroy property values and turn the whole place into a ghetto... So lets just maintain the statas quo...
Problem on LI is one of land useage. Its so built up already that putting in a rail system retroactively would both cost astronomical amounts and would cut through established areas. The boat for that form of mass trasit has passed a long time ago.
Problem on LI is one of land useage. Its so built up already that putting in a rail system retroactively would both cost astronomical amounts and would cut through established areas. The boat for that form of mass transit has passed a long time ago.
I doubt that , something will give.....here in Jersey there is a plan for a Light Rail network that would connect all of New Jersey's Northern Suburbs and cities using Abandoned Freight lines. You can stick Light Rail above or in the Medians of Wide Boulevards or Roads its not that hard. Light Rail attracts the average driver more then a bus , because a bus is seen as a lower class form of Transport outside NYC. In 10-20 years Traffic in the Region and on the Island will be very bad if something isn't put into motion now.
Just wait for advanced cars (have you seen 5th element or I-robot)
The main problem with traffic is the drivers. If the cars drive for you, there will be no traffic jams.
Ofcourse each vehicle will come with 2200 airbags to survive software malfunctions.
Ok, I have used the light rail in Baltimore, and thats decent, as much as it not going to happen, I think we desperately need some reasonably fast north-south transit (maybe one line every couple of exits) within the island. The buses are like sloths, and its tough to change 2 buses for a 10 mile ride.
Efficient, reliable, and accessible Mass Transit is a pipe dream on Long Island. I think we tend to look at NYC where certain neighborhoods have a variety of mass transit options and wonder why LI can not have the same. The reality is that mass transit in NYC was designed in the earlier part of the 20th century for the most travelled areas. It often surprises me when I talk to my friends who live in Queens about their daily commute and find out that, as bad as the LIRR is, they spend as much time communting as I do. Anyone who lives in the far ends of the outer boros probably could use light rail as much as we do.
I fully agree.
I feel Light Rail or BRT would be good along the N4/Q5, N6, & N22/24 lines but I won't hold my breath since the MTA still only has one BRT route. Not to mention the "NIMBY's", that's the main reason why the Merrick Blvd (N4/Q5) BRT was called off, an area that really needs it.
I doubt that , something will give.....here in Jersey there is a plan for a Light Rail network that would connect all of New Jersey's Northern Suburbs and cities using Abandoned Freight lines. You can stick Light Rail above or in the Medians of Wide Boulevards or Roads its not that hard. Light Rail attracts the average driver more then a bus , because a bus is seen as a lower class form of Transport outside NYC. In 10-20 years Traffic in the Region and on the Island will be very bad if something isn't put into motion now.
We don't have a existing method of rail transport outside of the LIRR. You could do the whole median thing (they probably should have done that instead of those HOV lanes) but your still going to be limited by space.
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