No. 2 means Long Island Rail Road must try harder
The tracks and power lines reflect the afternoon light at the Mineola LIRR train station (March 4, 2011) Credit: Craig Ruttle
Nobody likes to be second best. But news that Metro-North has edged the Long Island Rail Road as the nation's busiest commuter railroad isn't just about bragging rights.
On the contrary, the longer-term trend in favor of Metro-North should make us all think a little harder about the way Long Island is developed and the implications for our economy and environment. A look at some of the differences between the two commuter lines illustrates what needs to change.
Metro-North's network has no Jamaica bottleneck. Its service area includes at least two major white-collar employment hubs outside of Manhattan, White Plains and Stamford, Conn., which it has cultivated as commuting destinations for riders originating in the city and elsewhere. Much of its territory is developed more densely than Long Island. Its glorious midtown terminus, Grand Central Terminal, has ample capacity.
Now compare the LIRR, which must orchestrate an elaborate choreography each day through Jamaica. Its service area includes some major employment centers, but they sprawl instead of coalescing. And they are ill-served by the railroad, whose stops tend to be in the heart of old-fashioned villages. For a midtown terminus, the LIRR has only cramped, subterranean Penn Station, which is as short on charm as it is on track capacity, and inconveniently located as well.
On top of these handicaps, the LIRR last year imposed significant service cuts, including on the Port Washington line and between Jamaica and Brooklyn, to save money. Cuts on Metro-North were more modest.
The LIRR remains a great regional resource, and polls show regular riders are mostly happy with it. The challenge is to build on this resource rather than letting it wither. The railroad's eclipse by its sister across the Sound points to some important ways this might be done.
That the LIRR is no longer top dog underscores the need for some judicious investment, including funding to complete the East Side Access project to bring LIRR trains to Grand Central, a second track to Ronkonkoma, and new stops to serve new employment centers such as the one along the Route 110 corridor north of Farmingdale. All these measures would enable or encourage outbound or intra-Island commuting by rail. Better bus coordination and undoing LIRR service cuts would also help.
So much for improvements to the train. The other side of the coin is smarter development. The Island needs more intensive building surrounding suitable train stations, which would promote ridership and provide some of the rental housing desperately needed to retain young workers. Of course, more economic growth in general on the Island could draw those living to the West -- especially carless city dwellers -- into riding the rails for good jobs in the suburbs.
The health of Long Island and its railroad are inextricably linked. Let's pursue the kind of changes that will ensure the longevity of both.
