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.”

Repairs on the Robert Moses causeway and bridge are DOT projects overseen by Brett Garver, engineer in charge.
Newsday photo by Alan Raia

The bridges of Robert Moses Causeway in Babylon are still under construction and residents still have to look at all those barges in the water. What’s going on and when will the work finally be completed?
--Lawrence Sienkiewicz, West Islip

Construction on the causeway’s three bridges will be completed by year’s end, but Long Islanders should never expect the spans to remain project-free for long.

“Saltwater is a big killer of bridges,” said New York State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Eileen Peters. “We’ve had a number of projects there in recent years, and in all likelihood we’ll continue to have projects. Over-water bridges require constant maintenance.”

According to Peters, the causeway’s current projects include a replacement of the electronic components of the drawbridge, which was built in 1951 and renovated in 1994.

At Captree Bridge, which is the causeway’s northern-most span, workers are applying anti-corrosion paint and replacing jacket tiles, which help to reinforce its concrete foundations.

Meanwhile, the Fire Island Inlet Bridge recently had worn bearings replaced on its underside.

All ongoing projects should be completed by 2009, she said. There will be no closures between peak travel hours and one lane will always be open in each direction.

“It’s always better to be proactive than reactive,” Peters said. “Nobody wants a tragedy.”

Peters also said these projects most likely will be the last renovations on the causeway’s bridges - at least for a year or two. “There will be periods when all is well, but people should be prepared to see some kind of work whenever they drive out there,” she said.

Driving from Baldwin on Southern State Parkway, there’s a sign that says traffic information is available on 1640 AM radio. I turn it on out of curiosity and every five seconds or so, there’s this announcement: “This is the New York State Department of Transportation Highway Advisory Radio System, site No. 2.”

I’m headed east to Melville, so I keep it on to see if it’ll say anything different, since there’s intermittent traffic buildup. But the recording stays the same until I reach the Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway (135) Exit 28A South. Then the recording says, “This is the New York State Department of Transporation Highway Advisory Radio System, site No. 1.”

I guess with satellite radios and car stereo systems, the DOT doesn’t feel it needs to do anything special on the airwaves. Maybe the recording should at least announce the next few exits so that visitors and even residents who don’t travel around Long Island often will know which exits are coming up.

Just a suggestion.

Just an additional comment regarding LI street signs.

It would seem to me that safety should be a top prioriy in view of the increase in traffic accidents
In NJ, they have a sign and a turnaround at major intersections.Not possible to do here, of course. But the bext best thing would be more specific signage way in advance of the exit or major cross street to enable drivers to have enough time and clearance to make their move to get over safely, without cutting of another vehicle.

We have noticed more & more that the signs are RIGHT at the turn off & not far enough ahead.
Aren't lives worth the resaerch & money more than things like Trump on the Ocean, which local governments seem to have plenty of time to dispute?

--Suzanne Germaine, Massapequa Park

See Sunday's column for more comments.

Last week, we asked readers what they think about overhead street signs and if street signs should be bigger.

Dozens of readers said YES to overhead signs and bigger ones. State and county officials agree that overheads would be helpful to drivers. But don’t expect to see an explosion of them at Long Island intersections anytime soon.

The state has a handful of them on Route 110 and Route 25. State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Eileen Peters said, “We do consider them, if it’s appropriate and there’s no conflict with utilities in the area. We do install them where it’s feasible and appropriate.”

Mostly, the state uses advance street signs before major intersections, a system also used by Nassau County.

Gilbert Anderson, Suffolk Public Works Commissioner said the county follows federal highway signage regulations, but if a request was made for an overhead sign at a particular intersection, “We would consider it.”

Nassau Public Works Commissioner Ray Ribeiro said there’s no argument overheads are effective. But with undergound cables, utilities, sewers and other obstructions, it’s almost

The Community Watchdog column on Sunday asked a question: Is bigger better? What do you think about overhead street signs at intersections? Are bigger signs helpful?

Responses sent in by readers are overwhelmingly in favor of bigger signs. You can see some of the comments here (click Comments on last Wednesday’s blog from March 5 and Monday’s blog from March 10.)

This Sunday, we’ll run some of the emails Newsday readers submitted on the issue.

The $6.8 million project aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing accidents on Sunrise Highway is scheduled to be done by this spring.

The project includes upgraded traffic signals at 11 intersections and resurfacing Sunrise Highway.

The state Department of Transportation says this would benefit the 50,000 drivers who use Sunrise Highway everyday.

Have you noticed a difference since the project began?

Here's the original press release issued last year about the project.

Nicholas Caracappa wants traffic signals on the corner where he lives changed

I reside at the busy intersection of Hawkins and Boyle Roads. This past year, the Town of Brookhaven increased the danger-level significantly by replacing the red-yellow-green left-turn arrows on the four-way traffic signals to green arrow/green light. That allows cars to make left turns into oncoming traffic because they have a continuous green light. There have been over a dozen accidents. That’s more incidents than the past 20 years combined. We have contacted the town several times. We have a petition. Still nothing.
-- Nicholas J. Caracappa, Selden

Town officials are steadfast: The changes have made the intersection safer, they say.

“The restriction of...the red arrow, with that volume of traffic, causes people to do dumb things,” like trying to beat the light, town spokesman Tom Burke said. A safer option, he said, is to give drivers “a safe turn with the green arrow and then an optional safe turn with the solid green light.”

Based on statistics culled from police reports and state reports, town traffic safety officials said the intersection averaged five accidents a year before the changes in March last year. After the changes, they said no accidents occurred at the intersection.

However, Sixth Precinct Commander Insp. Frank Stallone said department statistics for Hawkins and Boyle indicate 11 accidents in 2006 and 13 last year.
“I don’t see much difference” in the accident rate, he said.

Town and police numbers don’t match, Burke said, because the town’s traffic safety experts dissect the police accident reports and count only the ones that occurred directly at the intersection.

Stallone said officers generally indicate the nearest intersection where an accident occurs on police reports, including those that happen a short distance away. He described the intersection as “busy and complicated,” one that requires two school crossing guards.

Police defer to the town’s traffic experts, but Stallone called for a review of the changes because of resident complaints. The town “reviewed it and came back with the same result.” he said. “I’m not sure you can do anything safety-wise that will change that one way or another."

WATCHDOG WEIGH-IN: Who’s right? Is the intersection better or worse since the changes? Email comments to watchdog@newsday.com. Results will be posted on newsday.com/watchdog.

Also related to this topic:

*NY Department of Motor Vehicles-Traffic Control
*Selden Civic Association:

I live in the Town of Islip. Pond Road, between the LIRR and Peconic Street, has not been maintained except for one or two repair spots since I’ve lived here, going on 25 years. But if you drive one block north into the Town of Brookhaven, many streets in Lake Ronkonkoma have had new blacktop - some more than once. Why won’t the Town of Islip pave my street?
-- Kevin Cunningham, Ronkonkoma

Town of Islip officials say based on an evaluation of Pond Road, isn’t in bad enough shape for resurfacing yet.

“This road exhibits no major issues, only normal wear and tear, and did not meet the criteria for paving as per our annual evaluation,” town spokeswoman Catherine Green said. In 2006, the town paved more than 40 miles of roadway. Figures for last year were unavailable.

Photo by Howard Schnapp

The town uses a one-to-10 evaluation system based on the severity and frequency of potholes, cracking and road-base condition. Roads with a one-to-five rating in poor condition are repaved. Roads that rate six-to-seven or fair-to-good are patched or receive other maintenance measures. Roads in the 8-10 range are not scheduled for repair.

Pond Road is rated six. Green said town streets are reevaluated once a year. Residents who feel their road is due for paving can contact the town’s Central Service Unit at 631-224-5600 or email the Department of Public Works at dpw@townofislip-ny.gov.

Also related to this topic:

*NY Department of Transportation, Pothole Reporting
*NY DOT Current Projects, including L.I.
*Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Association