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Editorial The New York State DOT proposal for a light rail facility at Edgewood, initially raised more than a decade ago, was a good plan that went wrong for two reasons. First, it took government too long to implement, allowing private industry to move in and develop the area around it. Second, it did not include a comprehensive infrastructure plan that would have ensured it would not add commercial traffic on to over-crowded local roads. There is no question that a rail system for taking freight from Long Island to points west is a good idea. And, at the time this plan was proposed, there was a companion proposal to install an access road from the Long Island Expressway to the site. Over the past ten years, however, the access road infrastructure project was put on hold, and the Sagtikos area has seen the construction of a major housing project, and two major retail centers, including the massive Tanger Mall in Deer Park. What was a genuine possibility a decade ago, has become a nightmare of a plan today. The state, unfortunately, allowed others to beat them to the punch.
What the DOT should do now is recognize its mistake and withdraw this proposal. It should then look for alternate sites, perhaps several smaller ones throughout Long Island. If and when it is prepared to provide that access road from the LIE, as well as other infrastructure changes that are in desperate need throughout that area, then and only then should they reintroduce this plan. But the DOT should not sit around forever because a creative entrepreneur may just well come up with a proposal and move with lightning speed compared to the bureaucratic snail's pace of government.
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