Despite being the most populous downstate suburban county, Suffolk receives the least in state aid for public transportation.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine last week formally requested Governor Hochul bring public transportation funding to parity with other counties in the downstate region in light of Suffolk’s census and economic data.
“Despite being the most populous suburban county in the downstate region, with a population of approximately 1.48 million, and having the largest geographic area, Suffolk County’s transit system receives the least state funding,” said Romaine, while noting the region’s per capita income is only $35,755.
Nassau and Westchester counties receive $103 million and $85 million, respectively, compared to Suffolk County’s $40 million in state aid. As a result, the county funds 63% of the public transit system’s budget with $86.6 million in funding. Suffolk County has the lowest per hour cost of any transit system in the downstate region, meaning that an increase to Suffolk would go the furthest of any downstate county.
As county and the state continue to work with our towns and villages to revitalize main streets and keep young people on Long Island, these professionals will expect the public transit system to be built out and ready to accommodate their needs.
Recently, initiatives from the county have increased ridership by 14%. To accommodate this increase in ridership, the county is launching 50 micro-service vans to enhance service and accessibility.
An increase in funding is necessary to both protect investments made in our downtowns and to create a seamless and efficient user experience as outlined in the New York State Department of Transportation Master Plan for 2030.
