Long Island leaders gathered in Dix Hills on Wednesday, pushing for improved transportation planning and the ability to access federal dollars that address the region’s needs.
Stakeholders are calling for the creation of the Nassau Suffolk Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to help modernize Long Island’s transportation infrastructure. Fostering that initiative is new legislation, sponsored by New York State Assemb. Steve Stern and Sen. Monica Martinez. The legislation would create a mechanism through which the Long Island region could apply directly for federal transportation dollars.
Supporters say an MPO would go a long way in enhancing transportation on Long Island.
“The creation of a metropolitan planning organization is a crucial step forward for Long Island,” Marc Herbst, executive director of Long Island Contractors’ Association said in a news release about the initiative. “By uniting the voices of business, labor, and government, we can streamline our transportation planning, access critical federal funding and ensure that our infrastructure will meet the needs of future generations.”
Martinez pointed out in the news release that “Long Island is a place unlike any other, and with that distinction comes the reality that we have unique needs. Our infrastructure and transportation systems must be as bold and resilient as the people who call this region home in order to thrive in an ever-changing world.”
Stern said that the initiative, which has bipartisan support, is a “critically important initiative can be a game-changer for Long Island. While primarily a bi-partisan and multi-level government effort to secure our fair share of transportation and infrastructure funding, this is also about ensuring the quality of life that our hard-working residents and taxpayers have earned. A sound, modern infrastructure is the key to Long Island’s future.”
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said in the news release that the state’s “transportation funding for Long Island has plummeted from 23% to just about 6% over the past few years. This drastic decline fails to meet the pressing needs of our region, especially in Suffolk County, where infrastructure improvements are essential for our growth and quality of life. The MPO initiative represents a critical opportunity to change course and secure real solutions that ensure Long Island receives its fair share of resources to address these challenges head-on.”
The initiative has the support of business leaders.
“Investments in infrastructure are directly connected to economic competitiveness and prosperity,” Long Island Association President and CEO Matt Cohen said in the news release.
“Long Island has a population that is larger than 15 states and a developed economy, and the needs of its transportation network would be well-served by its own metropolitan planning 0rganization, allowing our region to be more competitive with securing funding while shining a light on the needs of our aging infrastructure,” he added.
President and CEO of HIA-LI Terri Alessi-Miceli said that the “effort is crucial to ensuring that Long Island’s infrastructure can support our region’s economic growth and future needs. It also will help ensure future infrastructure funding for the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge.”
This is an effort also supported by union leaders.
“With a population of 3 million, it only makes sense that we would explore the benefits of a Long Island specific Planning organization,” Long Island Federation of Labor President John Durso, AFL-CIO said in the news release.
“Our transportation needs are different from our neighbors in the city, and surrounding metropolitan areas,” he added.
“The new efficiency created by an MPO would unlock new funding streams that in turn will create more projects that both put the hardworking tradeswomen and tradesmen of the Building Trades to work and improve the quality of life for all of us here on Long Island,” Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties President Matthew Aracich said in the news release.
“Addressing the transportation and infrastructure needs of Long Island is not a political issue, but rather it is a good government initiative that we should all commend. With the coalition gathered here today, we will work together to implement the MPO in order to keep Long Island moving forward,” he added.