Feds urged to use funds from axed N.J. tunnel for LI

Long Island's political, labor and business leaders Tuesday called upon the federal government to give Nassau and Suffolk their "fair share" of billions of dollars recently freed up when New Jersey axed plans to build a rail tunnel under the Hudson River.

At a news conference at Farmingdale State College, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and Nassau Executive Edward Mangano outlined several transportation infrastructure projects on Long Island that they said could use the $3 billion that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie forfeited when he pulled the plug last month on the $8.7-billion tunnel project.

"Where there's money to be plotted, Long Island has to be at the very top of the list because we've been neglected for too long," said Levy, who added that the bulk of federal transportation infrastructure funding usually goes to projects in New York City.

Levy listed the addition of a third lane on the Sagtikos State Parkway as among the important projects in Suffolk that could get a boost from federal money. Nassau officials said federal funds also could help develop a transportation plan for a redeveloped Nassau Coliseum.

Mangano and Levy co-authored a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Raymond LaHood last month formally requesting that New Jersey's funding be "reprogrammed for Nassau and Suffolk transportation projects."

Representatives from the Long Island Association and the Long Island Contractors Association said redirecting the federal funds could create several much-needed construction jobs in Nassau and Suffolk.

"The time is now. The money is there," Mangano said. "We're here to stake our claim for our fair share of government dollars."

It remains unclear as to whether the freed-up federal funds could be used for nontransit projects. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has said it would like to have some of the money redirected to its major transit infrastructure projects.