The following was submitted to the New York State Department of Transportation on November 16, 2016.
My name is Richard Murdocco. I am the founder and publisher of The Foggiest Idea, and am land use columnist who writes professionally on regional real estate development issues. I am writing to share my perspective on the NYS DOT’s plans for the Sunken Meadow and Sagtikos Parkways.
Moving forward, it’s critical that the NYS DOT update to the Sagtikos Parkway to not only be responsive to the needs of current commuters today, but prepare this route for the changes in commuter demands decades from now. With a variety of large-scale regional projects in the development pipeline of the townships that surround the roadway, it’s crucial that the State prepare the road for the added demands projects such as Heartland Town Square will bring.
Further, while Suffolk County is ambitiously pushing for the eventual creation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route using the Sagtikos/Sunken Meadow corridor, the NYS DOT must ensure that present demands placed upon the roadway are being met. While it is advisable to leave the door open for future changes, it’s important the parkway’s most important function, a link between the north and south shores to Long Island’s main east/west roadways for commuters travelling by car, is maintained.
As existing conditions show, the parkway’s current level-of-service is inadequate for the communities that the route both serves and connects – any expansion of the roadway must take into account projected changes of commutation patterns, as well as maintain the unique aesthetics and landscaping that drivers on the Long Island Parkway System have come to expect.
Both the Sagtikos and Sunken Meadow State Parkways are critically important links that connect Long Island’s north and south shores. This effort must ensure that the integrity of the road’s flow of traffic must be maintained.
