Our infrastructure defines our communities. From the roads we drive on every day to the trains and trails that connect us to jobs, schools, businesses and loved ones, we need reliable and modern infrastructure to keep us moving and keep our economies strong today and in the future.
As District Four’s Assembly representative, and as a longtime community member, business owner, and village-level official, I have seen firsthand how important thoughtful infrastructure investments are to our communities. When we invest in diverse transportation systems, we are improving how people get from one place to another and, in that, building stronger, safer, more connected communities.
Route 347 is one of the most heavily traveled roadways in Suffolk County, and the boulevard-style improvements that have been made along this corridor are already making a real difference for local residents and businesses that rely on it every day. This ongoing project has improved travel time, safety, and accessibility not just for vehicles, but also for pedestrians and cyclists. Like all of my neighbors, I look forward to the Route 347 improvements– including the new bridge over Nicolls Road– being in the rear-view mirror so that we can fully enjoy the smoother flow of traffic and the seamless, safe connections for those traversing Suffolk by bike or on foot.
Building a more robust, modern transportation network also includes incorporating the trailways that meander through our treasured open spaces. This year, I was proud to champion legislation permanently protecting the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway as a multi-modal, nonvehicular trail. This 3.4-mile pathway connects our neighborhoods, schools, businesses and natural spaces, and has become a beloved community asset. The Greenway was established in the early 2000’s, with over $7 million of federal and state funding invested into the creation of a corridor that’s now used by thousands of local residents for everything from commuting and exercising to dog-walking and teaching children how to ride a bike. It spans from Port Jefferson Station, which is currently seeing tremendous investments in transit-oriented housing and business development, and on its other end, it stretches near to Stony Brook University, where students, faculty, and staff appreciate diverse transit options to and around campus. Additionally, the Greenway trail connects communities along the way to train and bus stations on either end. My legislation, now signed into law, ensures that the Greenway will remain a green, safe non-vehicular transit corridor for generations to come.
But that’s not the only transit-related win delivered by this bill: this legislation also helped resolve a longstanding land-use conflict and cleared the way for approximately 40 acres of the blighted former Lawrence Aviation site to be sold to the MTA for potential future use as an electric railyard. This would replace the diesel railyard at the terminus of the Port Jefferson Branch of the LIRR. With an electric yard would come long-awaited improvements for Port Jefferson riders, including one-seat ride to New York City, improved air quality, and shorter travel times.
This is what smart infrastructure investment looks like on Long Island: improving existing roadways, expanding safe multimodal transit opportunities, and preserving open space while unlocking the potential for cleaner, faster public transportation.
Long Island deserves its fair share of investment, and I stand strong with my colleagues in local and state government in our work to bring taxpayer dollars home for our roadways, greenways, and public transit systems. As we invest in local infrastructure through efforts like these, we are building a roadmap to success for the next generation of Long Islanders.
–Rebecca Kassay
New York State Assemblywoman, District 4