Archives /// Brainstorming - Long Island Edition.

Published on 09/06/2013 - 6:00AM. 
By Kevin Wang.

Because of recent Long Island Transportation Woes, I have taken out my Dwight D. Eisenhower-like transportation brains and brainstormed how Long Island can be changed. If I were to design Long Island including Queens and Brooklyn from scratch, in ways I'll try to maintain current layout for possible realistic redesign plans. So without further due, this is how it'll be.  


Interstates and Parkways (Roads):

For roads, you might think I am crazy, but my dream highway is 16 Lanes wide, with Electronic Tolling and Maximum Ceiling Speed of 95MPH's. However, if I have to do the Long Island Expressway (I-495), we can all agree 95MPH is a long stretch for the NorthEast so dial it down to 65MPH speed-limit, with possible 70 in Suffolk, but 16-lane sustained from Riverhead all the way to Exit 17, ETR is a stretch but it'll be placed until all debt are paid off and needed revenue are gained. 

I-695 (replaces I-678) will be originating from the Whitestone Bridge and replace Route 27 in Nassau and Suffolk Co., layout will be explained in last sentence. I-87 (replaces I-278) will follow the current routing however act more like I-75/85 thru Atlanta. I-295 will extend and travel with the Grand Central Parkway from the current Clearview Junction to the Cross Island Junction down Cross Island Expressway (replacing Cross Island Parkway from GCP south) and travel with I-695 (refer above) to JFK Airport. All Interstate Routes in geographical Long Island will look like I-495 currently between Exit 18 and Exit 21 albeit somewhat trimmed down, ramps will be designed to sustain 45MPH sustained travel unless ramps leads to local streets. Parkway network will be overhauled for overall safety and twists and turns will be smoothed out to maintain safety. You might think these twists and turns will help reduce speed and increase safety, however, some are too dangerous and will actually cause more accidents and reduce safeties due to differences between individual drivers. 
    
Regional Commuter Rail (Rail):

For the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) Long Island Railroad (LIRR) redesign, there will be 6 tracks on Riverhead which is Ronkonkoma renamed, 4 tracks on Port Washington, Port Jefferson (Huntington) and Montauk (Babylon), 3 Tracks on Oyster Bay, Hempstead Loop which is a Hempstead-West Hempstead Loop, Long Beach, Far Rockaway and Brooklyn. All the junctions would be redesigned to make sure sustained speed operation is possible. Select stations would be consolidated to make more parking spaces for the purpose of Park-and-Ride. Also, in addition of there being a double tracked Bethpage-Babylon emergency connector, there will also be a triple tracked constant use Merrick-Bethpage connector. Bethpage will be renamed Bethpage Junction. 

Western Long Island Metro (Subway):

Oh, and for the Subways, Queens Plaza. and Queensborough Plaza will become merged to form Queensborough Plaza. (E)(F)(M)(R) between Queensborough Plaza and Kew Gardens will be 6 tracked, (D)(N)(R) between Atlantic-Pacific will be 6 tracked, (D)(N)(Q)(7)(F)(G) current sections with 3 or less tracks will be 4 tracked, if current layout, it will be double decked for elevated section, if from scratch, it will be 4 track wide ground level or on a hill like the (B)(Q) Brighton Line. But unfortunately, at this stalemated state, I know this may NEVER happen in our lifetime, nor anytime before year 2112. 

In summary, this will combine European's Premium Public Transit to the USA's Premium Road Network and actually makes these networks virtually future proof.

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