Page 46 July 30, 2021 DAN’S PAPERS danspapers.com
NEWS & VIEWS
BY OLIVER PETERSON
Assemblyman Fred Thiele announced Monday
that the MTA has approved the reinstatement of the
South Fork Commuter Connection (SFCC). The Long
Island Rail Road (LIRR) will meet with Thiele and
the Towns of East Hampton and Southampton in the
near future to finalize the details relating to the restoration
of the popular service, established in 2019 to
reduce brutal “trade parade” traffic to and from the
Hamptons.
Service is expected to begin again in the fall. SFCC
service was suspended in March 2020 as a result of
the COVID-19 outbreak.
SFCC ridership was impressive since its inception
in March 2019. For the first six months of service,
from March to August of 2019, LIRR ridership on
the South Fork increased 126% over the same period
the previous year before the institution of the SFCC
(14,725 in 2018 compared to 33,284 in 2019). According
to the LIRR, 72% of this was directly attributable
to the new weekday trains. Additionally, in 2018,
prior the start of the SFCC, ridership for the LIRR
on the South Fork from September to November was
2,742. In 2019 with the addition of the SFCC, ridership
spiked to a total of 10,060, or a 267% increase.
“I am thrilled that the East End will see the restoration
of this tremendously successful commuter service,”
Thiele said in a statement, which notes a dramatic
increase in local traffic congestion as a result of
the pandemic, as more people took up residence on
the East End. “The service is needed now more than
ever,” he added, pointing out that the LIRR restored
the service, even as they face continuing fiscal challenges.
“I thank my state and local partners, as well
as LIRR President Phil Eng, for their dedication and
look forward to reinstating this popular service as
soon as possible.”
Stony Brook
Southampton
Campus Vaccine
Site Closes
BY BRIANA BONFIGLIO
The New York State-run mass COVID-19
vaccination site at Stony Brook University’s
Southampton campus closed on July 26.
The site is one of three across Long Island
that closed in July as the governor focuses
vaccination efforts on areas with low vaccination
rates. Others also closed upstate.
“The COVID vaccine is the greatest tool we
have in our fight against the virus. It is free,
effective and easily accessible throughout the
State of New York,” Cuomo said. “With this
accessibility comes the state’s responsibility
to target and shift resources to areas with the
lowest vaccination rates. Downscaling state
sites is necessary to redirect these resources,
but it does not mean that you should not get
your vaccine if you haven’t already.”
Downscaling of the state’s mass vaccination
sites began in early July. On Long Island,
the state closed the Jones Beach vaccination
site and the Suffolk County Community College
Brentwood site.
Going forward, the governor’s office says
that state officials are evaluating all mass
vaccine sites to determine which can be cut
based on local resources. The state partners
with community leaders with the goal of getting
as many people vaccinated as possible.
The remaining state vaccination sites are
still open for walk-in appointments.
This story first appeared on
longislandpress.com.
LIRR COMMUTER CONNECTION TRAIN
THE DOCTOR FINISHED ANOTHER VACCINE CARD
LIRR South Fork Commuter Connection
Service to Be Restored
GETTY IMAGES
PHOTO BY DESIREE KEEGAN
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