NYT event listing for Children's Museum, Nov 2003

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

t is important for Lower Manhattan to improve its access to the population growth centers of the metropolitan area - so as to expand its labor pool and sustain its vitality. To achieve such enhanced regional connectivity, it is important to balance major capital improvements with less expensive interventions that can have a substantial cumulative effect. Adopting this realistic perspective, the following chapter outlines small- and moderate-scale initiatives that will enhance transit service between Lower Manhattan and locations throughout the region.

In coming years, the New York metropolitan region's population is expected to grow at a pace that is faster than the city's. Long Island and New Jersey, in particular, are expected to generate the highest population increases in the area. According to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, Suffolk County on Long Island will experience the greatest gain of any county in the region between the years 2000 and 2025, while Ocean, Middlesex, and Monmouth Counties in New Jersey are projected to have the second, third and fourth highest rates of growth. Fairfield County in Connecticut follows closely behind them.

The map below illustrates the origins of Lower Manhattan suburban commuters traveling during the 6 to 10 a.m. on weekdays. The majority of these commuters originate from New Jersey com­ munities, many of which are well-served by transit systems. The Long Island suburbs comprise folly 34% of these trips while the northern New York and Connecticut suburbs make up only 12%. Given both its rate of growth and its percentage of labor force contribution, Long Island is a logical focus for enhanced commuter service.

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* Tri-state area, non-New York City commuters. Source: Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Chapter 3; Reaching the Region — Practical Rail and Ferry Solutions 71

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