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Proposed Long Island Rail-Truck Intermodal Project Divides Environmental Groups
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Written by Stuart Vincent   
Monday, 29 June 2009 13:46
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Proposed Long Island Rail-Truck Intermodal Project Divides Environmental Groups
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Patricia Klosowicz of North Bay Shore, part of the Brentwood School District, said her nightmare is to walk out her front door and see “Tractor-trailers 24-7 rumbling past, cutting down streets, the LIE backed up and they’re going to come down Crooked Hill Road and Wicks Road, any road.” Klosowicz says the two local roads already are congested with traffic.

“I can’t image what the high volume of trucks would do to the traffic,” said Paul Tomko of Deer Park, who with his wife, Mary Beth, frequents the Edgewood Preserve for bird-watching and hiking. “The roads aren’t built for it. They’re not wide enough and the Tanger outlet [on Deer Park Avenue] has added to the traffic.”

Supporters of the intermodal plan, including the Environmental Defense Fund, New York League of Conservation Voters and Tri State Transportation Campaign, counter that replacing some of the estimated 54,000 trucks that travel Long Island roads each day with freight rail that uses a fraction of the fossil fuels and produces less harmful emissions will result in cleaner air, safer roads and less traffic congestion.

“It would be a game-changer in terms of reducing congestion, reducing pollution, making delivery of goods more economical,” said Ryan Lynch, Long Island coordinator for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing car and truck dependency in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. “We’re aware of the environmental concerns [at the intermodal site]. We just think that the amount of truck traffic it’s going to reduce and the environmental benefits of that and bolstering the economy of LI are benefits in and of itself. And there are many environmental groups that are in favor of this project as well including the Environmental Defense Fund, along with many business groups. There’s a lot of support for this project. “

According to the DOT in its introduction to a report on a feasibility study on the intermodal proposal, "The LITRIM project is the first and only effort with the innovative, forward-thinking goal to enhance the use of rail to deliver Long Island's goods, rather than by trucks traveling over Long Island roadways, This study concluded that the LITRIM facility will provide multiple benefits for Long Island including highway congestion relief, economic development, and reduced vehicle emissions."

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the DOT concludes that:

 

  • “Operation of a truck-rail intermodal facility will provide greater efficiency, flexibility, and accessibility for the transportation of goods and services to and from Long Island. This will in turn, generate potential consumer savings of $1.1 million to $7.6 million annually. The LITRIM Facility will lower the costs of transportation and increase the reliability of delivery by providing a seamless rail connection for long distance transport of freight. Estimates for savings for goods production on Long Island alone range from $670,000 to $4.6 million annually. The total cumulative cost savings for the goods passing through the LITRIM Facility each year will be $33.4 million.
  • “Other annual savings relate to lower traffic service costs ($86,000), reduction in roadway operations and maintenance costs ($643,000), and reduction in congestion ($943,000) that are an indirect result of the large reduction in regional vehicle miles traveled for trucks. Another important benefit of lowering the number of truck vehicle miles traveled is the contribution this makes to improving regional air quality conditions.”

Click here to view a slideshow of photographs from the proposed area.
 
Comments (4)
LITRIM
4 Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:59
denis byrne
I suggested Republic Airport for Western and USRAIL or AVR for the Eastern site. The road infrastructure is in place. Otherwise all those trucks will still be on the LIE from Brentwood to the east end
LITRIM
3 Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:42
denis byrne
At all the hearings and in the DEIS it has been stated that the project was NOT intended to be handling garbage. The public has once again been misled based on LCV comments.
LITRIM
2 Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:37
denis byrne
2) in addition to the above groups mentioned against the proposed LITRIM being developed at Pilgrim there were several more not mentioned, including NRDC, Sierra Club, LIGHT, Seatuck
LITRIM
1 Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:32
Denis Byrne
1)NYS did not own the land that was developed as the Heartland Industrial Park. That was always private land that was tied up in litigation due to a previous owners bankruptcy case.

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