Long Islanders, get out of your cars!

It’s time for Long Island commuters to find a place to park their fuel guzzling, traffic congesting vehicles and make a move to public transit.

Thursday evening, April 4th, I look forward to participating in an important panel discussion presented by the Long Island chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The focus will be to explore the possibility of unclogging Long Island’s roadways through efficient, well thought out sustainable transportation.

The truth is Long Island will have great difficulty maintaining a strong business community and a healthy lifestyle for its residents unless we literally get moving fast. The next time you are stuck in local traffic take note that you are not alone. For example, our neighboring companies located in the Hauppauge Industrial Park spent $40.8 million in 2008 in energy costs to heat and fuel their businesses. That seems to be a bargain when you see that the fuel costs of those who work there traveling to and from the Industrial Park added up to an astonishing $67 million.

Even a 10% cut in vehicular traffic through carpool and improved public transportation could put millions of dollars back into our local economy, increase efficiency and improve our environment.

We have been talking about traffic, air quality and the outrageous cost of fuel for quite some time. Now we need solutions. Improved LIRR service, carpool programs, even the possibility of a Bus Rapid Transit system connecting the south and north shores of Long Island are some of the good ideas being looked at.

We created the non-profit Melville Chamber of Commerce because we felt the need to find solutions for our community that other business organizations were not ready to focus on. Your local Melville Chamber was a pioneer in helping to create traffic solutions for the 110 Corridor. We were called “naïve” when we advocated for the development of a LIRR station at Republic Airport, a project that will soon be a reality. In a few short years the commute from Rt. 110 to midtown Manhattan will be only 35 minutes.

The Melville Chamber and our members were also there at the start carrying the torch to eliminate the New York State Commuter Tax.

Now, for your own sake and the benefit for all Long Island business owners and residents we ask you to join us in planning a future that eliminates traffic, supports a strong and healthy economy and makes life on our beautiful Island all we dream it should be. That is why the Melville Chamber is a sponsor and participant in the USGBC Long Island Sustainable Transportation discussion on April 4th.

I hope to see you Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 5:30 pm. For information and registration: www.usgbc‐li.org