Page 82 - Westchester 2022 Relocation & Moving Guide

TRANSPORTATION
Getting There From Here
One of the greatest advantages of living in Westchester and the Hudson Valley is the region’s strong transportation capabilities, including one of the largest commuter railroads in the nation as well as easy access to all parts of the Tri-State Area — and beyond.
The newest innovation is the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, spanning the Hudson River and connecting Westchester and Rockland counties. The 3.1-mile, state- of-the-art twin spans feature eight general traffic lanes and dedicated space for disabled vehicles, emergency responders, and buses. The popular shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians also boasts a public art program including five sculptures, four bicycle racks, and a mural, all by New York artists.
Railroad and Ferry Services
Metro-North Railroad ridership rates dipped dramatically when the coronavirus pandemic began, but are coming back. The 2019 numbers show the true strength of the system: overall ridership was 86.6 million, up 100,000 from 2018. The Hudson Line broke a record with 17.4 million rides in 2019, and trains overall arrived on time nearly 95% of the time, the best performance in six years. And the MTA stepped up its cleaning regimen throughout the pandemic, with daily disinfection of Metro-North trains.
Commuters who take the Hudson Line through Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties have an added bonus, with the Hudson River and Palisades serving as a beautiful backdrop. The Harlem Line brings commuters to and from bustling communities such as White Plains, Pleasantville, and Mount Kisco. The New Haven Line hugs the Long Island Sound and brings passengers to and from New York City or New Haven, CT, and every place in between. Rockland and Orange County residents are serviced by Metro- North’s Pascack Valley and Port Jervis
lines, respectively. There are also ferries connecting Haverstraw to Ossining and Newburgh to Beacon.
Bus Services
In Westchester, the Bee-Line bus system serves the county’s passengers annually with a combination of local, express, and railroad-feeder bus services.
Rockland residents can also take Hudson Link – the commuter bus service which opened in October 2018 along the I-287 corridor and the Cuomo Bridge — to Metro-North stations in Tarrytown and White Plains. Hudson Link service now features new bus shelters and 45-foot long buses with wireless network service, USB charging stations, and bike racks.
Transport of Rockland (TOR) is Rockland County’s local bus system, providing service along major corridors as well as feeder loops within the county.
Putnam Area Rapid Transit (PART) operates fixed routes year-round in addition to a seasonal trolley in Cold Spring, and a commuter shuttle to the Metro-North station at Croton Falls.
Dutchess County Public Transit trans- ports approximately 800,000 passenger trips per year on 13 routes and two different RailLink routes to train stations.
Orange County sponsors 16 individual transit operators providing services in four general categories: commuter bus, local bus, dial-a-bus, and paratransit services.
Innovative transportation options are also gaining ground in the area. Since its launch two years ago, Circuit NR — a complementary on-demand electric shuttle service that transports riders along several downtown routes — has provided more than 30,000 free trips, reduced vehicle miles traveled in New Rochelle by 38,000, and cut carbon emissions by 15 metric tons.
Air
The recent runway repaving of the main 6,500-foot runway in 2020 makes the Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains a preferred base for commercial,
business, and general aviation services. The Airport is currently served by four major passenger airlines: American, Delta, United, and JetBlue.
General/private aviation has grown at the airport, with private charter companies providing by-the-seat services, including Tradewind Aviation, Blade, XO Jet, NetJets, FlexJET, and JSX. In addition to private jet charters, these companies fly popular city pairs like NY to Miami.
Several Fortune 100 Companies have their corporate flight departments based at HPN. IBM, BlackRock, PepsiCo, and Nets Jets all occupy space at the airport, using HPN as a base for corporate jet travel. In May 2018, Houston-based fixed- base-operator Million Air opened a new hangar at HPN’s private aviation complex. The facility includes an 8,000 sq. ft., two- story, Adirondack-style terminal and a new, 52,000 sq. ft. hangar addition.
New York Stewart International Airport in Orange County is routinely served by Allegiant Air, Frontier, and Jet Blue, offering direct flights to several U.S. cities, including at least three in Florida.
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LIVING IN WESTCHESTER AND THE HUDSON VALLEY | RELOCATION & MOVING GUIDE
Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
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