Suddenly policymakers and elected officials are waking up to the fact that a new Tappan Zee Bridge is so far in the future that more innovative ideas must be devised now if the region is to cope with the growing economic upheaval.
Rising unemployment, foreclosures and a frozen housing market suggest people will be searching for jobs in more far flung locales because of the difficulty in selling a house today. Tight money will mean that cheaper and faster commutes will be in demand, even essential for the region to survive this chaotic economy.
A timely conference tackled these very issues last week. Co-hosted by the Regional Plan Association and Tri-State Transportation Campaign, the agenda included a discussion of the benefits of bus rapid transit (BRT). New York City has initiated BRT systems that increased speeds 20 percent with 98 percent approval from riders. Westchester BeeLine is planning a BRT system from Westchester County Center down Central Avenue to Yonkers. None of these projects involve any significant infrastructure.
The next question is, why can”™t Westchester and Rockland develop a BRT system on the I-287 corridor, using only existing rolling stock and roadways? It may be the only realistic option for mass transit on the I-287 corridor given the lack of urgency on the part of the Tappan Zee Bridge study team. The latest projected completion date for a new bridge and BRT is 2020 and that date seems to advance each time the team is pinned down.
That being the reality, the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, the non-profit organization that brought down the ill-conceived high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane for I-287 in 1998, is convening a roundtable to discuss the feasibility for a full corridor BRT system using existing rolling stock and roadways. It will take place on March 9 at 7 p.m. at 94 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, just east of Route 9. Such a plan would be cost-effective, a public benefit and leverage existing resources.
The trends already in place suggest that devising a BRT system on the I-287 corridor is a solid solution. Ridership on Rockland”™s Tappan Zee Express, which serves both counties, has steadily risen. Rockland sends 45 coaches across the Tappan Zee Bridge every weekday, with less service on Saturday. Certain buses originate in Suffern and end in White Plains while others originate at the Spring Valley Transit Center and terminate in Tarrytown or the White Plains Transit Center. Meanwhile, vehicular travel on the bridge has begun to dip, a trend that is likely to continue as the economy slumps. Add to that the plunging sales in new cars and we have what appears to be a major societal shift, still just emerging but highly likely to gain strength.
It has been shown in research studies that when there is a desirable transit option people do give up their cars. In the case of the Rockland express bus option it is not deemed to be desirable enough because it is stuck in the same traffic that a car driver must endure. In spite of that, 410,972 people did ride the express in 2007. Last October 46,742 people rode the bus across the bridge. Imagine how ridership would soar if the bus were seen to zoom past cars stuck on the bridge in its own lane. Of course, more room for the bus means less room for cars and trucks during the peak period. Indeed!
Here is what is on the horizon. The cross corridor traffic will rise as people look further and further from home for jobs, while the reverse commuters from NYC also increase as job opportunities in the city diminish. All of these commuters need transit connectivity. When the economy does turn around the cost of oil will inevitably rise, further underlining the need for connecting mass transit as an alternative to the expense of the personal vehicle. These trends are already manifesting.
Looking to the needs of the region, the Federated Conservationists”™ roundtable will begin the conversation on how to address them, with very specific and efficient plans.
Representatives from the thruway, Westchester”™s and Rockland”™s DOTs and planning departments, Greenburgh, Clarkstown and New York City will be involved. Representatives from business organizations are also invited to attend. This will be an open discussion with all participants ideally working toward the same goal ”“ confronting an impending mobility impasse in the lower Hudson Valley.
Maureen Morgan is a transit advocate who sits on the board of Federated Conservationists of Westchester. She also writes a column, “Surviving the Future,” for the Westchester County Business Journal and HV Biz. Reach her at mmmorgan10@optonline.net.
