[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Uconn97

Yup, lets build another bridge to "battle the congestion". How about taking those billions it would cost to build a bridge and work on some mass transit options or increasing high speed ferry service options??

+1

[kidyankee764]

I probably shouldn't have said "most", because you guys are right, most don't use the ferry. A lot do though. I still don't think it would east congestion on 95 - at all. Yes, LI has the parkways but most travelers now have a GPS, and for some reason, GPS devices hate parkways and only send people on interstates (for example, when I would drive from Shelton to New Canaan, it would tell me to go 95 instead of the Merritt! As I drove down the Merritt, it would still try to send me on 95 via back roads in Fairfield). But have you seen traffic on the parkways on LI? I lived in Carle Place for a bit for work and even the side roads are incredibly congested. Any additional traffic in LI would seriously lower their quality of life (or what's left of it ).

Lots of folks say job opportunities would be opened up, but both eastern CT and eastern LI lack jobs.

I think it would be interesting to post this on the Long Island board to see what they think. Thruway - it's all you!

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I think it would be interesting to post this on the Long Island board to see what they think. Thruway - it's all you!

My bet is they'd be more for it, I bet a lot of LIers hate that the only way to go anywhere is thru NYC.

As I said earlier, I prefer a tunnel because it wouldn't look ugly on the sound, and I would even go for the NY-only option (usually Rye to Great Neck, if I remember it right). Yes that doesn't make the trip quite as shorter as it would be with a New Haven to Shoreham crossing, but it would still be an improvement on having to go all the way to NYC, would only involve one state, and the mainland connection allows for avoiding I-95 completely if need be; i.e. if someone was going from Huntington to Danbury, they'd take 287 to 684. And even to go to Stamford it would involve a lot less of I-95 than a New Haven crossing would. Since it's less of an improvement from going through NYC, but still a savings, it would serve its purpose without changing congestion patterns much.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

My bet is they'd be more for it, I bet a lot of LIers hate that the only way to go anywhere is thru NYC.

As I said earlier, I prefer a tunnel because it wouldn't look ugly on the sound, and I would even go for the NY-only option (usually Rye to Great Neck, if I remember it right). Yes that doesn't make the trip quite as shorter as it would be with a New Haven to Shoreham crossing, but it would still be an improvement on having to go all the way to NYC, would only involve one state, and the mainland connection allows for avoiding I-95 completely if need be; i.e. if someone was going from Huntington to Danbury, they'd take 287 to 684. And even to go to Stamford it would involve a lot less of I-95 than a New Haven crossing would. Since it's less of an improvement from going through NYC, but still a savings, it would serve its purpose without changing congestion patterns much.

A bridge this far west would be more pointless IMO than a bridge from New Haven to Shoreham. What's the point, when the vast majority of 95 traffic north of New York begins in Greenwich and ends in New Haven? Many times, as soon as you cross into CT, the highway becomes a standstill.

[goldenband]

The New Haven to Shoreham crossing would be my choice too, but if a genie offered to build the Rye crossing for free, I'd certainly take it!

Another point in favor of the bridge, made in the wake of the September 11th attacks, is that at the moment LIers have no way to evacuate the island without passing through the NYC area. I'm neither agreeing nor disagreeing with that position, but it was apparently raised in serious discussion as a point in favor of the bridge.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by goldenband

The New Haven to Shoreham crossing would be my choice too, but if a genie offered to build the Rye crossing for free, I'd certainly take it!

Another point in favor of the bridge, made in the wake of the September 11th attacks, is that at the moment LIers have no way to evacuate the island without passing through the NYC area. I'm neither agreeing nor disagreeing with that position, but it was apparently raised in serious discussion as a point in favor of the bridge.

Very true, but a terrorist would know this bridge exists as the only other option during an evacuation and it, too, would probably be a terrorist target. Scary thoughts, but all too real in today's world.

As SCR said, if LIers have a problem with driving through New York, or are scared about the evacuation process should a disaster occur, by all means, move to the mainland! These are all possible scenarios folks must deal with when they live on an island.

[goldenband]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Very true, but a terrorist would know this bridge exists as the only other option during an evacuation and it, too, would probably be a terrorist target. Scary thoughts, but all too real in today's world.

Definitely possible, but unless the attacks were simultaneous, I'd like to think law enforcement would set up roadblocks and checkpoints at bridges and tunnels immediately after any attack on NYC. Let's hope it's an issue that never comes up.

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

As SCR said, if LIers have a problem with driving through New York, or are scared about the evacuation process should a disaster occur, by all means, move to the mainland! These are all possible scenarios folks must deal with when they live on an island.

Keep in mind that sometimes people have to live where the jobs are, though -- or at least, the jobs in their particular field. Regardless, it's not so much an issue of any one resident's personal neuroses or worries, but more of a question of how best to use resources in order to minimize loss of life, economic damage, etc. in the event of an "event". Would a bridge be the most efficient way to deal with that? My guess is, probably not.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by goldenband

Definitely possible, but unless the attacks were simultaneous, I'd like to think law enforcement would set up roadblocks and checkpoints at bridges and tunnels immediately after any attack on NYC. Let's hope it's an issue that never comes up.


Keep in mind that sometimes people have to live where the jobs are, though -- or at least, the jobs in their particular field. Regardless, it's not so much an issue of any one resident's personal neuroses or worries, but more of a question of how best to use resources in order to minimize loss of life, economic damage, etc. in the event of an "event". Would a bridge be the most efficient way to deal with that? My guess is, probably not.

Good points, and I agree. I have always criticized Gov Rell for being reactive instead of proactive, but in this case, a bridge seems to be a waste of tax dollars, an environmental mess and a probable nightmare to Long Island's already congested roadways. IMO it would be detrimental to both CT and NY.

[Mighty__Quinn]

Originally Posted by renovating

You can get to Port Jefferson from Bridgeport in 1 hour 15 minutes driving?

I'm 20-25 minutes to Port Jeff. Add at least 15 minutes on each side for loading and unloading vehicles. [Then an hour drive to New London]

I can drive to Bridgeport in an hour and a half. [no traffic]

Originally Posted by goldenband

I'm more surprised to hear that MQ is going from eastern LI to eastern CT. If you're on the North Fork and headed to New London or Norwich, the Orient Point ferry starts to make a lot more sense.

It can take me anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to get to Orient Pt. The ferry ride is about an hour and a half. Loading and unloading ...

I can drive to New London in 2.5 hours. [no traffic]

The ferry w/ a car & 1 person is close to $50 each way.

I really hate the CT-LI drive.

[Thruway]

Originally Posted by Uconn97

Yup, lets build another bridge to "battle the congestion". How about taking those billions it would cost to build a bridge and work on some mass transit options or increasing high speed ferry service options??

Uh mass transit WILL NOT help those NYers who use I-95 to get from NYC and LI to NE.
Yup...lets just do nothing and stubbornly insist that the northeast portion, the most densely populated in the US, doesn't need a bridge over the LIS and that a 6 lane I-95 is just sufficent.

Brilliant