Rep. Laura Gillen: Federal investigation into Long Island's dangerous roads needed after Newsday report

A New York congresswoman is urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to launch an investigation into Long Island’s dangerous roads, citing a Newsday report on what she called an "alarming, unacceptable" number of crash deaths and injuries.

Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) sent the letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday asking his department to study the problem and supply recommendations that can be used in future federal transportation legislation.

Gillen referenced Newsday’s findings that road fatalities have increased since the pandemic, and that more than 2,100 people have been killed and 16,000 seriously injured over a decade. She wrote that the problem "demands swift federal attention and intervention."

"I request the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) conduct an immediate investigation into this deadly surge and outline a plan of action to help prevent more tragedies," Gillen wrote.

The DOT did not immediately respond to Newsday’s request for comment.

The letter came hours after Newsday launched a yearlong series focusing on Long Island's dangerous roads, one of the deadliest regions for motorists and pedestrians in the state. Traffic crashes have touched nearly every resident and family. The series will explore various causes, potential solutions, and how risks are spread unevenly among communities.

Experts have identified several contributors to road deaths and injuries, ranging from impaired and distracted driving to a lack of protected bike lanes and access to public transit.

At an event Thursday at Mount Sinai High School launching a statewide campaign against distracted driving, Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina noted his department recently increased the size of its highway patrol unit and is trying to focus on areas where casualties and accidents are greatest.

Asked about the Newsday series, he said: "Right away, my thoughts are it's too many people, too many lives lost ... We're going to do everything in our power to make the roads safer."

Officials said they will step up public safety messaging and enforcement in April, part of a nationwide Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

"All motorists have a responsibility to always keep their focus on driving and nothing else," said New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder.

Congress is beginning to plan the next round of nationwide road funding, which will replace the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which runs out in fiscal year 2026.

While the federal government, through the DOT, provides funding and sets certain standards for roads, Long Island’s roads are owned and maintained by the state and local governments. The New York State DOT has about one-tenth of all lane miles on the Island, including many major highways, while other roads are owned and maintained by counties, towns, villages and cities.

Under a recent bipartisan infrastructure measure, New York is receiving about $13.5 billion in federal highway funding over five years, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent State of the State.

With Alfonso A. Castillo