Long Island Rail Road strike could put strain on our already busy roads
We are now less than 48 hours away from a potential strike that would shut down the entire Long Island Rail Road system.
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Long Islanders are scrambling to figure out how they'll get around if the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and union leaders cannot come to a new agreement by the weekend.
As News 12 has reported for months, a strike would shut down the entire Long Island Rail Road indefinitely.
According to the MTA, 250,000 to 300,000 people commute on the system each day, but a system closure would require all those people to find alternative means of getting where they need to go.
The MTA continues to urge people to work from home if possible, as a first option, though it is offering shuttle service from six locations.
Despite that option, many Long Islanders said the buses would be too inconvenient, so they would opt to drive into New York City instead.
Long Island's major roadways, including the Long Island Expressway, Northern State Parkway and Southern State Parkway, are some of the region's busiest roads as it is, particularly during peak morning and evening rush hour commutes.
The concern from traffic experts is that the roads could be completely clogged if even just a portion of the usual train commuters drive instead, resulting in severe congestion.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the two sides made progress yesterday and are negotiating over future pay increases.
The deadline to avoid a system-wide shutdown is Saturday at 12:01 a.m.
