$360,000 grant to aid Rte. 110 study

Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand yesterday announced a $360,000 grant to the Town of Babylon for a study of mass transit along the Route 110 corridor, one of the region’s busiest.

“This study will pave the way for reduced congestion, shorter commutes and fewer headaches for Long Islanders that rely on Route 110 every day,” Schumer said in a release.

Announcement of the grant came weeks after Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone and other Long Island leaders unveiled a sweeping plan to expand mass transit, link downtown developments and remove thousands of vehicles from roads. A key component of that plan is mass transit on Route 110, where 135,000 people work, according to town statistics.

The grant, from the federal Department of Transportation, will evaluate different forms of transit for the corridor including light rail, bus service and bus rapid transit, or BRT.

BRT, the form favored by the town, could involve dedicated bus lanes, limited stops and in-station fare collection to reduce travel time.