Access to Transportation on Long Island Technical Report Prepared by: In association with: Abrams-Cherwony & Associates Eng-Wong, Taub & Associates Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates April 2007 Access to Transportation on Long Island Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction...............................................................................................................................1 2.0 Existing Conditions...................................................................................................................3 2.1 Demographic Analysis.................................................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Population Density ..................................................................................................... 3 2.1.2 Transit-Supportive Areas............................................................................................ 6 2.1.3 Target Markets ........................................................................................................... 8 Senior Citizens.................................................................................................................... 8 Persons with Disabilities ..................................................................................................... 8 Youth................................................................................................................................... 8 Households Without Automobiles ......................................................................................14 Low Income Households....................................................................................................14 Fast-Growing Minority Groups ...........................................................................................18 2.1.4 Summary...................................................................................................................25 2.2 Transportation Services.................................................................................................25 2.2.1 Fixed Route Services ................................................................................................25 Major Bus Services ............................................................................................................25 Other Bus Services ............................................................................................................55 Bus Services Provided by Other Private and Institutional Entities......................................59 Rail Service........................................................................................................................59 Ferry Services....................................................................................................................65 Service Levels....................................................................................................................69 2.2.2 Demand Response Services.....................................................................................78 2.2.3 Other Transportation Resources ...............................................................................83 Ridesharing........................................................................................................................83 Car-Sharing........................................................................................................................85 School Transportation........................................................................................................85 Bicycling.............................................................................................................................85 Taxis ..................................................................................................................................86 2.3 Trip Generators and Attractors ......................................................................................86 3.0 Service Gaps and Mobility Needs ..........................................................................................89 3.1 Fixed Route Service Gaps.............................................................................................89 4/6/2007 i Technical Report Access to Transportation on Long Island 3.2 Demand Response Service Gaps................................................................................102 3.3 Public Input: Issue Group and Focus Group Meetings ...............................................102 3.3.1 Barriers to Existing Transportation Services............................................................103 Fixed-Route Buses and Trains.........................................................................................103 County and Municipal Demand Response Services ........................................................104 Non-Profit Services ..........................................................................................................105 Private Services ...............................................................................................................105 3.3.2 Barriers Common to All Modes................................................................................106 Driver Training .................................................................................................................106 Affordability ......................................................................................................................106 3.3.3 Transportation Service Gaps and Unmet Needs.....................................................106 Lack of Access.................................................................................................................106 Lack of Coordination Between Services...........................................................................107 Service Hours and Frequency..........................................................................................107 Routing and Coverage Area.............................................................................................107 Access to Information...........................................................................................................108 Current Sources of Information ........................................................................................108 Barriers to Information/Missing Information......................................................................108 3.4 Service Gaps and Mobility Needs Identified in Earlier Studies ....................................109 3.4.1 Long Island Bus Study ............................................................................................109 3.4.2 Suffolk County Joint Executive/Legislative Task Force ...........................................109 3.4.3 Long Island Transportation Plan 2000 (LITP 2000).................................................109 3.4.4 Environmental Justice Assessment (9) .....................................................................109 4.0 Further Considerations for Definition of Adequate Access to Transportation .......................114 4.1 Obligations for Providing Access to Transportation .....................................................114 4.2 Transit Industry Standards and Guidelines..................................................................115 4.3 Regional/Local Goals and Guidance ...........................................................................116 4.4 Access Policies in Other Areas....................................................................................117 4.5 Access Policies in Other Area: Case Studies .............................................................118 4.6 Public Input: Issue Group and Focus Group Meetings ...............................................119 4.7 Interviews with Transportation Providers and Other Stakeholders ..............................120 4.7.1 Transportation Provider Interviews..........................................................................120 4/6/2007 ii Technical Report Access to Transportation on Long Island 4.7.2 Interviews with Other Stakeholders .........................................................................123 New York State Department of Transportation.................................................................124 Long Island Regional Planning Board..............................................................................130 Long Island Association ...................................................................................................131 Stony Brook University.....................................................................................................132 Dominican Sisters of Nassau County...............................................................................136 4.8 Recommendations from Earlier Studies ......................................................................139 4.8.1 Long Island Bus Study (7).........................................................................................139 4.8.2 Long Island Non-motorized Transportation Study (5) ...............................................139 4.8.3 Nassau County Transportation Policy Recommendations (21) .................................140 4.8.4 Nassau Hub Major Investment Study (22) .................................................................140 4.8.5 Joint Executive/Legislative Task Force on Transportation Issues in Suffolk County (8) 140 4.8.6 Long Island Transportation Plan 2000 (3).................................................................141