Nassau County Planning Commission

The Planning Commission has been involved in transportation planning and administration since 1979, when it assumed the functions of the Office of Public Transportation. The overriding mission for the Nassau County Planning Department’s Transportation Division is to support the safe and efficient movement of people and goods throughout the County. The Transportation Division works closely with federal, state, and local agencies toward meeting the transportation needs of the County. This includes developing short- and long-term plans and strategies for improvements in mass transportation and traffic flow in the County. The Division also has the responsibility of administering the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) mandates dictated by the Safe Accountable Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Federal Transit Administration Compliance

The Planning Commission is responsible for the administration of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants that were initiated before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) became the designated recipient for federally funded Long Island Bus capital projects. Nassau County owns the buses and facilities of Long Island Bus and is responsible for the oversight of FTA grants related to the bus system. The County is responsible for providing the local match for capital transportation grants (i.e. bus purchases) through its capital project budget process. The County also administers an FTA grant for studying transit alternatives for the Nassau Hub area.

New York Metropolitan Transportation Council

Program, Finance, and Administration Committee
The Planning Commission represents the County on New York Metropolitan Transportation Council's (NYMTC) Program, Finance, and Administration Committee (PFAC) – the administrative arm of NYMTC that helps advance transportation projects of regional significance under the guidance of the Regional Transportation Plan. The County Executive is a voting member of the NYMTC Council. All of the sub-regions of NYMTC are represented on the PFAC.

Regional Transportation Plan

The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) a federal requirement for receiving transportation funding, lays out the Region’s transportation needs and desires over a minimum twenty year period to provide a continuing, coordinated, comprehensive transportation planning process while assuring air quality. The Transportation Division participates in NYMTC’s Working Groups needed to support the RTP.

Transportation Improvement Program
Planning Commission staff members are directly involved in development of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is normally a five-year transportation capital improvement plan adopted every other year for the region. The 2008-2012 TIP was adopted by the NYMTC Council in 2007. During the TIP process, municipalities, counties, the MTA, and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) propose transportation improvement projects (transit and highway) for federal funding within their jurisdiction. Projects for this region are ranked and rated by committee under the guidance of the Nassau/Suffolk Transportation Coordinating Committee (N/STCC). The County is represented by Planning staff on N/STCC rating and evaluation, technical committee, and the County Executive is a voting member of N/STCC.

Unified Planning Work Program
The Planning Commission is responsible for the preparation of the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) under the guidance of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC). The UPWP includes various planning studies that give guidance to where federal transportation dollars may most effectively be directed.

Special Programs, Projects and Reports

Bus Shelters
The Transportation Division coordinates the County’s bus shelter and bench program, primarily by working with a private vendor, Signal Outdoor, who installs and maintains advertising bus shelters and benches. The Planning Commission oversees the selection of sites and installation of new shelters and benches, as well as the replacement of 1980’s non-advertising shelters with advertising units. For questions or comments regarding bus shelters, contact Rona Moyer of the Planning Commission at (516) 571-5934.

Commute Alternatives Program (CAP)
The Commute Alternatives Program (CAP) is designed to promote single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trip reduction strategies within Nassau County. CAP staff support the efforts of Long Island Transportation Management (LITM) to facilitate strategies including ridesharing, telecommuting, increased transit use and intermodalism. Other responsibilities include pedestrian and bicycle planning, oversight of Nassau County’s bus shelter program and ongoing research into innovative transportation, planning and land use issues related to transportation demand management.

Enhanced Traffic Signal Progression

The Enhanced Traffic Signal Progression program is an ongoing (yearly) UPWP funded activity to collect existing data, modify and create new timing and coordination data for signals that currently run of the County’s Computerized Signal System. The goal of the program is to maximize the efficiency of each corridor by minimizing stops and delays, decreasing travel time, reducing emissions and reducing accident rates. Nassau County has successfully completed signal progression studies for: Bellmore Avenue, Grand Avenue, Peninsula Boulevard, Willis Avenue. A signal progression study along the entire length of Merrick Road is currently underway with results expected mid-2008.

The targeted traffic study for the area in Hewlett known as the “triangle”, generally considered one of the most complex intersections in the County. The goal is to develop a comprehensive plan that will: identify congestion points, develop alternatives to alleviate congestion and facilitate the smooth and safe flow of vehicular/ pedestrian traffic, identify the recommendations that best address the issues.

Traffic Volume Flow Maps
The Transportation Division collects traffic volume data along select County-owned roads. New data is collected yearly and used to update the Nassau County Traffic Volume Flow Map. The Map is updated approximately every three years. For questions regarding traffic volumes along County-owned roads, or to obtain a copy of the most recent Nassau County Traffic Volume Flow Map, please call Aryeh Lemberger of the Planning Commission at (516) 571-5847.