Recently, the proposals for a possible Arena and Convention center known as Midway Crossing at MacArthur Airport are being presented and passed around to the public for their input. This would, in essence, be between the south side of the LIRR Ronkonkoma station and MacArthur Airport. This would, also, be in addition to all the new housing and business districts on the north side of the Ronkonkoma Station, where parking is already near impossible.
This brings our attention back to an idea that’s time is overdue.
The north shore railroad line with stations in Greenlawn, Northport, Kings Park, Smithtown, Stony Brook, and ends in Port Jefferson is still a diesel line. This is not ideal for quite a few reasons. Most notable is that it is bad for the environment. It is also underutilized due to the extra transfers needed to get into Penn Station. Penn does not allow diesel to come to the station, so all the riders have to transfer to an electric train to finish their commute via the north shore line. An electric train all the way down the line would help eliminate these transfers.
Many riders would prefer to use the north shore line if all things were equal.
The solution is simple in theory: Electrify the line.
The North Shore Business Alliance, initiated by Anthony Figliola, an East Setauket resident, and Charlie Lefkowitz, a former Brookhaven Town Councilman and President of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, and joined by other active community members sharing the same vision, have been working on this issue since 2017. As a group, they reached out to a number of those in local government positions to then reach out to the MTA to present this proposal. Figliola and Lefkowitz had already laid out enough detail about the changes that could and should be made to this line and the numerous positive effects it could have. They were aided by Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, who have been strongly behind this initiative from day one. With the help of former State Senators John Flanagan and Ken LaValle, they were able to secure the funds for a feasibility study, which the MTA is currently undertaking.
“The electrification would be one of the most important capital projects on the North Shore of Long Island in decades. As an economic developer, I have seen how upgraded transportation systems can become a catalyst for increased private investment and job creation into communities,” Figliola stated.
Of course, the execution of changing to an electrified rail is not as simple, but it is possible and very worthwhile. The environmental benefits are only the beginning. Electric trains to Port Jefferson, if done correctly, can solve a number of existing issues.
A great example of this is the traffic that backs up multiple times daily as the train blocks Route 112 as it loads and unloads its passengers. Figliola explains that the suggested solution is to relocate the train station onto the West side of Route 112 instead of the East Side. The exchange of passengers happening to the West of Route 112 will allow Route 112 traffic to continue to flow without having to wait while the train is stopped.
A question that comes quickly to many is, “Where would the trains be stored if this line becomes a more popular hub?” The proposed location is the deserted Superfund Site – Lawrence Aviation. This would be a useful way to finally clean up and repurpose that long-neglected site.
This endeavor could quite literally revitalize an entire neighborhood. Upper Port, the area of Port Jefferson that surrounds the train station, had been underinvested for years with many vacancies and dilapidated buildings.
A well-thought-out train station in Port Jefferson would then, in turn, help the economy and lead to the aforementioned revitalization of the area. In simple terms, more ridership brings some business back to the area, from small businesses like bagels and pizza that want to be near the grab-and-go transitory population, to the dry cleaners and daycares that capitalize on being convenient to the rider. It also lends itself to more housing options.
These benefits would carry over similarly to the stations and neighborhoods up the line and address street traffic issues along the route.
The progress of the feasibility study may have slowed down if not completely put on hold due to the reduced ridership resulting from the pandemic, making it the ideal time to finish the study and start to implement the changes. Ridership will return, and implementation for a project like this takes time, usually years to go from initial study to finished product. Now, we need to lend our voices to ensure that the MTA continues this study at full speed, and with the drive and attention it deserves.
To get involved in this project, you can reach out to the Three Village Chamber of Commerce.
