A campaign undertaken by residents at The Amsterdam at Harborside to obtain NICE bus service on nearby West Shore Road in Port Washington moved into high gear after the July 4th holiday. Members of the Amsterdam’s Public Bus Committee began calling the more than 70 businesses in the light-industry industrial park on West Shore Road to solicit their support.
Dottie Bheddah, chairwoman of the committee, has already gained the support of both the Hilton Garden Inn soon to open in the industrial park and of The Addison, an apartment building neighboring The Amsterdam. She indicated that she would welcome the support of the Long Island Bus Riders Union and other interested organizations in the campaign for this much-needed bus route modification.
On June 20, Lou Levitt, a retired professor and Amsterdam resident, spoke on behalf of the committee at the Nassau County Legislature. He described the proposal for modification of the N23 NICE bus route as “modest,” since it will add fewer than four additional miles and only 14 minutes to the schedule. He informed the legislators of discussions with NICE executives, who had replied by letter that they could not accede to The Amsterdam’s request. While acknowledging NICE’s need to balance the conflicting goals of providing public service and maintaining profits, Levitt asked the legislature to “keep its thumb on the scale in order to give added weight to the public service side of the equation.”
He pointed out that the businesses in the industrial park as well as The Amsterdam would benefit from the proposed route by having access to prospective employees who have no cars. Unlike the present situation, those who live in areas served by the LIRR could easily accept employment if there were a bus from the Roslyn and Port Washington stations. The new Hilton and the Harbor Links Golf Course, like The Amsterdam, need maintenance, housekeeping, kitchen and dining room staff. In addition, the Tuttle Center, which houses the Amsterdam’s enhanced living and skilled nursing units, requires public transportation for its staff and visitors.
Levitt closed his comments by saying that, “we fail to understand why, despite the support of public officials—from both political parties—we have been unable to make progress on this rather modest proposal. What puzzles us,” he said, “is why the mix of village, town, county, state and federal funds available plus the revenue from additional ridership stemming from the route change is not sufficient for the change to take place. Moreover, an important concern for us is why a beautiful public park on West Shore Road, the North Hempstead Beach Park, built and maintained by taxpayer dollars, is available only to those who possess automobiles.”
For more information on the Amsterdam Public Bus Committee, contact email bheddah@aol.com.
