Community Watchdog

Lorraine Eckert says drivers in her development need more traffic control at a nearby corner to help them exit safely.
Newsday photo by Gwen Young

We exit our development at the intersection of Mell Gate and Jerusalem Avenue (Route 105). With increased traffic over the years, it’s almost impossible for us to make a left turn heading east onto 105. There’s a traffic light about 100 feet west at Washington and Jerusalem that makes it harder because cars slowing down for a red light don’t clear Mell Gate fast enough and cars making a Right on Red at Washington are coming at us. On weekends when there’s even more traffic, drivers ignore the Do Not Block Side Road sign at Mell Gate. We need a Stop Here on Red sign at Mell Gate, a stop Line painted on the road.
--Lorraine Eckert, Seaford

The bad news is there’s no good news. Mrs. Eckert won’t be getting the No Right on Red sign at Washington, or the Stop here on Red at Mell Gate or the painted stop line. After inspecting the area and using state Motor Vehicle Department data, Department of Transportation investigators determined “there are too few vehicles making the right turn onto Route 105, and it would certainly impede traffic coming out of Washington Avenue,” DOT spokeswoman Eileen Peters said.

What the DOT will do eventually is to replace the Do Not Block Side Road with a bigger sign [which must be ordered] and cut back some trees to make sure drivers see the sign, she said.

“Unfortuately, intersections like this are very common on Long Island, where they experience congestion for a certain part of the day,” Peters said.

Traffic problems could be improved if drivers obeyed traffic control signs to help vehicles move safer and smoother. Vehicles heading west on 105 shouldn’t be blocking the side road, and drivers making a right on red from Washington should be making a full stop before turning, which should give Mrs. Eckert and others making the left enough time.

“We can’t change safe engineering principles to accommodate people who aren’t obeying traffic laws,” Peters said. “Our decisions are based on nationally accepted engineering standards and principles.”

The state DOT's plan to make changes to the intersection of Sound Avenue and Route 25A is not a good idea according to Ed Goldstein of Baiting Hollow.
Newsday photo by Daniel Goodrich

Ed Goldstein of Baiting Hollow says changes to the Wading River intersection of Sound Avenue and Route 25A featured here June 15 are unnecessary.

The traffic signal on Sound Avenue will be rebuilt to control vehicles heading both west and east onto 25A and a Stop Here on Red sign and Stop Line will replace a Yield sign for drivers heading west on 25A. That means they will no longer be able to roll through a red light. The Yield sign will be moved to help merge westbound traffic safely onto 25A, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Eileen Peters said.

In an email, Goldstein wrote, “The present Yield sign does not require a full stop when \[the light is\] red \[and\] speeds up traffic on both roads. It is entirely safe.” On busy days, the Stop Here sign will back up traffic to Baiting Hollow, he stated.

“We’re very sorry Mr. Goldstein is not happy with this,” Peters said, “but the changes will help improve everybody’s safety in that area.”

The state Department of Transportation agrees with Frank Stocks that this Yield sign has to go.
Newsday photo by Gwen Young

I’ve been trying to get this problem solved since 2006. A YIELD sign in the right turn lane on Sound Avenue at the intersection of Route 25A in Wading River should be changed to a “Stop Here on Red” or “No Turn on Red” because cars ignore the red light and coast through the turn, creating a dangerous traffic situation. The state Department of Transportation investigated my request and agreed with me. I was sent a letter saying the problem would be rectified. That was Feb. 21, 2007. Nothing’s happened since then.
— Frank Stocks, Calverton

You’ll get no argument from the DOT, Mr. Stocks.

But while the DOT’s Regional Traffic Engineer Frank Pearson penned a letter to you more than a year ago to tell you about the work that would be done based on your complaint, he apparently didn’t mean the work would be done quickly.

As Pearson’s letter states, the project will include a painted STOP line, removal of the YIELD sign and a new Stop Here on Red sign. DOT spokeswoman Eileen Peters said the work will be completed this fall.

Asked why it takes so long to get work done after it’s been investigated and approved, Peters said, “Our requests far exceed our resources. Everything is scheduled as soon as we have the resources available...We’ve made it clear to the contractor that this is a priority location. The work should not take that long after it gets started.”

One of the Community Watchdog items in Sunday’s Newsday asked readers to weigh-in on whether traffic signal changes made by the Town of Brookhaven at the busy intersection of Hawkins and Boyle Roads in Selden made the area better or worse.

So far, the majority of readers who addressed the question (as opposed to taking side trips about related matters) say they liked the changes. Here are some of the to-the-point comments.

“I use the intersection of Hawkins Road and Boyle Road daily and was very happy when the Town finally figured out how to make traffic flow more smoothly by eliminating the red left turn arrows. Smooth traffic flow equals safety. This should be done at more intersections.”

“I think it is better.”

“The changes to the traffic flow significantly reduced the congestion and virtually eliminated people running the red turn arrow. I find it safer than it was.”

“I pass this intersection several times a week. I happen to like the way the new lights work. At one time I would speed up to make the green arrow, or I would speed up to the red light in an effort to catch the light before it turned green, so the arrow will turn green. Now I approach the light at a normal speed knowing I have the option to turn.”

One reader suggested installing speed bumps to slow down traffic, another said a traffic circle would help that intersection.

There also were readers who bashed civil service personnel and the highway department, which wasn’t the department involved.

Thanks to our readers who took the time to answer the question.