New, Free North Fork/Riverhead Shuttle Temporarily Suspended

RIVERHEAD, NY — A brand-new, free shuttle bus created to take riders from Riverhead to Greenport and back this summer to savor the tastes and experiences of the North Fork has temporarily suspended service.

"Current service levels are not where we want them to be. We want our riders to have the best possible experience, so we are taking a pause to make some course corrections," said Duncan Kennedy, president of the North Fork Promotion Council. "We expect service to resume in a few weeks, and plan to run the North Fork Link later into September to make up for the Saturdays when it wasn’t operational.”

The shuttle kicked off on July 7 and had been slated to run every Saturday through August 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"Join us for wining, dining and exploring the beautiful North Fork in style. We'll stop at some popular destinations along the way," a release about the shuttle said. "With arrivals every 30 minutes, and an app to check schedules in real time, the North Fork Link is a hassle-free way to visit the region, whether you're a day tripper or weekender."

A recent preview included stops at Sang Lee Farms, for strawberry picking and crudité tasting; a visit to Peconic Cellar Door, for wine tasting by winemaker Alie Shaper's Brooklyn Oenology and As If Wines, and by Robin Epperson-McCarthy's Saltbird Cellars , as well as oyster tasting by Southold Bay Oysters; North Fork Chocolate Company for chocolate tasting; and LIV Spirits, for a trio tasting of vodka.

According to Kennedy, traffic is one of the most critical issues on the North Fork, and North Fork Link was created to offer individuals an option for travel, to get motorists and cars off the road. In addition, he said, some who may want to visit the North Fork may not drive, and the shuttle would offer an alternative.

Kennedy said the shuttle — with six buses in total — would definitely make stops at Long Island Rail Road stations in Riverhead, Mattituck and Greenport and travel along both County Road 48 and New York State Route 25, operating in a continual loop.

The shuttle is able to operate with $150,000 funding garnered from an Empire State grant, Kennedy said.

The goal, he said, is to afford visitors a "taste of the North Fork," with stops at restaurants, vineyards, shopping areas, the beach, farm stands, and other points of interest. "This is not meant to be a party bus," he said. Guests can utilize Uber or other ride sharing services after the shuttle's operating hours and can also drive out, stay at a hotel, leave the car and get around with the shuttle.

Riverhead residents also applauded the new shuttle when it first launched.

"The North Fork Link takes the best of what our town has to offer, and makes it more accessible to residents and visitors alike," said Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith. "Not only will this take cars off our busy roads, it will also make Riverhead businesses easier to visit. It's one of the creative solutions the town is focusing on to relieve the ongoing traffic issues residents struggle with all too often."

"The Link", when running again, will pick up and pick up and drop off passengers every 30 minutes at 30 different stops such as village shopping districts, craft breweries and wineries, markets, restaurants, artisans' workshops, farm stands, and museums, a release said.

Pick up points include popular businesses from Riverhead to Greenport, with a goal of making exploring the North Fork easy for residents and guests, those who helped to create the program said.

Patch photo by Lisa Finn.