Residents recall dangerous driving on part of Southern State in Valley Stream set for revamp

The New York State Department of Transportation has announced plans to rebuild Exit 13 along the eastbound Southern State Parkway in Valley Stream to improve safety for pedestrians and motorists alike — changing road designs that have been in place for nearly a century.

Community members — dozens of whom attended a DOT informational meeting about the project Thursday evening at the nearby Elmont Memorial High School — told Newsday the exit and its intersection have long been cause for concern.

Patrick Goin, of Valley Stream, said that two years ago, a driver coming off the parkway ran a stop sign and crashed into his 80-year-old uncle’s car, totaling it. The intersection’s poor design is also dangerous for pedestrians, Goin said.

"It's a safety issue, because there's a mosque nearby, there are schools nearby, so children walk up and down," he said.

Goin and others had the chance to speak with DOT officials and review plans with engineers at the event, held in the school lunchroom.

The DOT chose the exit after traffic studies showed it was a top safety concern, according to Rolando Infante, a spokesperson for the DOT. He said it will cost between $13 million and $16 million, begin in 2027 and complete in 2028.

The project will combine two existing off-ramps at Exit 13 — one for drivers exiting north and one for drivers exiting south — into a single exit with more distance for drivers to slow down. In addition, the DOT plans to lengthen the entrance ramp from Central Avenue onto the parkway. It will also add a traffic light and simplify a five-way intersection where the exit ramp meets Arkansas Drive, Stuart Avenue and Central Avenue.

State Assemb. Michaelle Solages (D-Valley Stream), who represents the area, told Newsday by phone that she advocated for the DOT to undertake the project.

For pedestrians, getting across the road is like "playing frogger," she said.

According to Newsday’s Long Island crash map, there were six crashes at the intersection last year, including four with injuries.

The DOT will add crosswalks and sidewalk to the west side of Central Avenue, as well as new pedestrian signals with countdown timers.

Eric Alexander, of Vision Long Island, which advocates for more walkable neighborhoods, said the project is necessary but there is still work to be done.

"It’s one step, but there are a thousand more to take," he said.

Infante said some parts of Exit 13 — like its tight turns for exiting and entering vehicles — date from the parkway’s original construction in 1934.

The proposed design is not "set in stone," he said, and encouraged community members who were unable to attend Thursday’s meeting to learn more by visiting projectdocs.dot.ny.gov or calling 631-952-6929 to submit comments.

"At the end of the day, the communities that surround the Southern State, they're the ones whose opinions, whose concerns are paramount," he said.

Resident Steven Radgowski told Newsday he was happy to see the intersection getting attention.

"There's a lot of people walking, and they're in danger because the cars just come flying off of the parkway," he said. "It'll be a good improvement."