Damaged guardrail finally replaced
Ted Minski of Patchogue and his neighbors have been trying to get a guardrail on their street repaired. A vehicle wrecked the rail around Christmas 2009. The bulkhead the guardrail protects also needs shoring up. He contacted the Community Watchdog because half the street belongs to the Village of Patchogue, the other half belongs to the Town of Brookhaven, but he says neither wants to take responsibility. (July 6, 2011) Credit: Gwen Young
There was an accident very late at night more than a year ago on Bay Avenue and South Breeze Drive in Patchogue. A car went through the guardrail that protects a very small beach area and a bulkhead that belongs to the Town of Brookhaven. That was more than a year ago and the guardrail still hasn't been replaced. I've called both the town and the Village of Patchogue because they share responsibility for Bay Avenue but nothing's been done to fix the guardrail. It's a real eyesore. The bulkhead is shot and needs repairs, too, because there's water intrusion and the sand is being washed away.
-- Ted Minski, Patchogue
We hope the shiny new guardrail is to your liking, Mr. Minski.
After we called Town of Brookhaven Highway Department Deputy Superintendent Lori Baldassare, someone was sent to inspect the site and confirmed that the guardrail had been mangled. What was surprising, she said, was that there was no claim or record of the guardrail being damaged. That was something Mr. Minski also found strange because when the accident happened, emergency vehicles and a police car were at the scene, yet he was told there was no record of it.
On a follow-up call, Baldassare said a purchase order would be submitted for the guardrail and that it would be installed when it was delivered within a few weeks. She kept her word.
She said the town was unaware of erosion at the bulkhead, but that she would look into it.
Squirrel Lane is one block north of Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown. When the traffic signal turns red at the turnpike, southbound cars on Jerusalem Avenue heading toward the turnpike use Squirrel Lane to avoid the light. Complaints have been made to police and elected officials. There is an influx of families with children in the neighborhood in recent years. We need the speed limit lowered or signs posted saying it is illegal to cut down this street.
--Tom Caro and Carl Sparacino, Levittown
Nobody likes cut-through traffic in their neighborhood, but there's not much that can be done with what's happening on your street.
After our call, Eighth Precinct police visited Squirrel Lane to evaluate the situation. Commanding Officer Donald Halbohn said officers monitored the road at varying times of the day for one week, observing traffic for three hours total.
The result? Not one speeding ticket was issued.
The road has a 30 mph speed limit, but it's curvy, and "that makes it difficult to do the speed limit," Halbohn said.
He added that it is not against the law when a driver uses another road to avoid a traffic light. However, it is a violation if a person drives across a sidewalk, driveway, parking lot or other private property to avoid the traffic signal, he said.
Officers also determined the half-mile stretch of road has all the proper signage, including three "Children at Play" signs and two "Autistic Child in Area" signs.
Eighth Precinct residents with traffic concerns should call 516-573-6800.
-- MICHAEL R. EBERTI manage a mobile home park on Lincoln Avenue in Holbrook just south of Veterans Memorial Highway (Route 454). The traffic signal pattern at the intersection is very dangerous. Southbound drivers on Lincoln have two lanes: One for right turns only, and the second for left turns onto 454 and for drivers going straight. That makes it hard for the park's northbound drivers on Lincoln to make a left turn onto 454 because they're dodging southbound traffic. I wrote the state's Department of Transportation several years ago, but nothing changed.
--Carole DaCosta, Holbrook
The solution has been a long time coming, but we're told relief is on its way this fall. A left-turn arrow is scheduled to be installed for northbound drivers on Lincoln who are heading west onto 454.
The state DOT started working on this problem three years ago after a driver complained about it, according to spokeswoman Eileen Peters. As a result of the study, the DOT determined that the turn arrow would solve the problem for northbound drivers.
The study's conclusions also indicate that the pavement markings on Lincoln for southbound traffic should remain as is, with a left lane for drivers going straight or turning left and an exclusive right-turn lane because of the heavy volume of vehicles turning west onto 454.
"The existing lane configuration . . . is appropriate based on current traffic conditions," Peters said.
Anyone with safety concerns involving state roads should call 631-952-6020.
-- MICHAEL R. EBERT
New hope for justice Theresa Cerney's killing is one of at least 66 cases of dead women being reviewed by Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney's new cold case unit. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn and Newsday investigative reporter Sandra Peddie have this exclusive story.
