Your $350 million ideas for improving Long Island
An aerial view shows the completed Route 110 overpass, top level, over the Long Island Expressway. Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
The last time Long Island received significant state funding, the money went to Long Island University’s new veterinary school, a bioelectronic medicine facility and new buildings at our universities, among other projects.
This time, we asked to hear your big ideas on how the $350 million "Long Island Investment Fund" in the state budget can be used to make life in the region better. Here's a sampling of what you sent us.
How would you spend $350 million improving Long Island?
The concept of financially supporting more buildings and development on “larger swaths of land” with public funds is ridiculous when you consider that we live on an island where the roads can’t handle existing traffic, the trains are often dysfunctional, and groundwater is increasingly undrinkable and the bays, waterways, and beaches suffer or are closed from pollution. Addressing those issues is not “fixing potholes”, each of those issues will require infrastructure improvements.
The editors suggest funding could be used for industries that rely on the water that surrounds us. Good idea but not if the water is polluted and there is no clamming, fishing or swimming. Without proper island-wide wastewater management including sewers in low-lying areas such as Oakdale and West Sayville, our waterways will continue to die a slow death.
We need to clean up and fix what we have before we start spending public funds on new development. - Richard H. Remmer, Oakdale
1. Repave our decaying roads.
2. Build a high-speed rail system, similar to the Japanese high-speed modern rails. One over the Southern State Parkway, the other over the Long Island Expressway. The existing LIRR can still be used for freight cars and some very local passenger traffic. The USA used to be the leader in mass transportation but is now last in high speed, low-cost rail travel.
3. Affordable housing. An all-inclusive studio apartment should go for about $ 600 per month in rent, a one-bedroom $800/month, two-bedroom $1000/month. Rent controlled. Use the open spaces to build three complexes similar to the new dorm housing at Binghamton Univ. Each area would have 2000 rooms and one conference/meeting center. This housing would be open the first only to those senior citizens who own their homes and would have to sell their homes. Just in Levittown alone, there are thousands of us seniors who would gladly move. Thus leaving homes available to new families. - John Wolf, Levittown
An innovative hands-on learning teaching, technology, and entrepreneurship building at Stony Brook University. A place where college students and K12 can experiment, and learn with the technology of today and the future. Using VR simulations and interactive hybrid classrooms that allow students from their districts to participate in the learning. Plus by having hands-on creative pursuits with 3d printing and software development area. This can increase STEM jobs on the island for the next 25 years. - David Ecker, Port Jefferson
Every major parkway, expressway, and highway is a disaster. Years of neglect have turned Long Island into one big pothole. We take our lives in our hands every day trying to avoid drivers swerving so they don’t destroy their cars by hitting huge potholes and empty trenches in the roads. - Jim Caulfield, Massapequa Park
For Long Island to remain a vibrant place to live and work, the focus must be on preparing our young workers for the industries of tomorrow. At the moment, these industries encompass AI, medical research, the green, and blue economies, and space exploration, to name a few. Hofstra in Nassau County and Stony Brook in Suffolk County could spearhead these efforts. It is unfortunate that you do not find these industries in abundance on Long Island as a consequence of the high cost of doing business here on top of the exorbitant taxes and price of housing. Long Island legislatures need to get their houses in order and realize that without proper investment in the LI's youth, the region will never become competitive on a national or global scale. It is time for action on a grand scale and not worry about the cobwebs being accumulated in Nassau Coliseum. - Michael Scaturro, Garden City
This is a unique opportunity to move Long Island green.
1. Grants to homeowners to transition to electric vehicles, include potential rebates or grants to facilitate installation of home EV charging stations;
2. Initiate infrastructure to provide easier access to EV charging stations on major roadways and/or high-density commercial shopping zones. - Frank Hassid, Oceanside, NY
Long Island's water supply is under stress in many districts. Removing contaminants and replacing ancient pipes should be a priority. Any remaining funds can go to strengthening and replacing power lines. - Dan Oppenheimer, Hempstead.
Repair and/or repave all the rutted state highways. Tossing cold asphalt onto an ever-expanding hole is not a solution. - Ralph Herman, Mount Sinai
Repave all major highways (NSP, SSP, LIE, and Wantagh Parkway... it was done recently but poorly). Let the Towns take care of the smaller roads. - Ray Manzo, Hicksville
The "Grand Canal" in Oakdale is a historically significant waterway originally created at the turn of the 20th century by Vanderbilt who wanted to use it for recreation as well as for the transport of supplies such as heating coal to his employees. Today it is lined by residences and is increasingly used by kayakers and paddleboarders for recreation. Unfortunately, it has been filled in by erosion and becoming foul and polluted. It is a health risk and is sorely in need of a cleanup. Sewers will aid in preventing pollutants from cesspools from entering the canal. However, since it was first created it has never been dredged and has become much shallower than originally designed over a hundred years ago. This waterway is very much overdue for needed maintenance. - Donald Papavero, Oakdale
