Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi [1] 's far-reaching concept for a "New Suburbia" has hit a transportation snag, and plans for a demonstration bus service for Nassau Hub may be on hold.

Nassau County Executive Tom SuozziSuozzi wants $5.7 million in stimulus money for 14 eco-friendly buses that would run at 15-minute intervals between the Mineola Long Island Railroad station and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, with limited stops elsewhere. The pothole in the road is the fact that the National Environmental Policy Act [2] requires new bus lines be reviewed, a process that can take up to two years.

Can U.S. Sen Charles Schumer [3] save the day, and the future of the unofficially named "Coliseum Clipper," bus line? With a letter to acting administrator of the Federal Transit Administration [4], requesting the agency view the added service as an extension, or "enhancement," of Long Island Bus' already existing line N24, he hopes to.

Implementing the service line would be a "game changer for the region," says Schumer. It would also provide the county its first-ever use of traffic signal pre-emption technology, which would allow emergency vehicles, for one, to maneuver more quickly through traffic.