More pedestrian safety urged for Smithtown

Saying he doesn't want to see another person killed on Main Street in Smithtown, Sen. Charles Schumer Wednesday called on federal and state officials to join forces to improve pedestrian safety on the road.

In a letter to Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez and state Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan MacDonald, Schumer said the two agencies should "coordinate efforts and resources" and tap federal highway funds "to develop a new pedestrian safety strategy" on the road, which is state Routes 25 and 25A.

The intersection of Main Street and Lawrence Avenue in the town's business district has been the site of three fatal pedestrian accidents since November 2009. Last month, two Central Islip sisters were injured at the intersection.

"It's long past time for the road to be redesigned, no question, and it shouldn't take another tragic loss for this road to be fixed," Schumer said in an interview. "To have three people killed in two years is too many people in a short time."

Three pedestrians -- Courtney Sipes, 11, of Smithtown; Charles Doonan, 65, of Flushing; and Seamus Byrne, 33, of Smithtown -- died after being struck in separate incidents crossing Main Street. Sipes' death in November 2009 spurred the state to add safety features. Doonan was struck in January 2010 and died in August; Byrne was killed in February.

But critics, including the victims' families and town and county officials, grumbled the improvements were insufficient. Last month, state transportation officials agreed to consider reducing Main Street from four lanes to two, one in each direction. Town Councilman Thomas McCarthy said Schumer's involvement might help "break the logjam and get this thing going for us."

State DOT spokeswoman Jennifer Post said Wednesday, "We welcome the Federal Highway Administration's support in that effort."

Schumer said the state should use federal funding intended to reduce traffic or resurface roads. He said he met Courtney Sipes' mother, Lavena Sipes, last year at a community festival and again last month at the Jones Beach air show and was "touched" by her story.

"I said I wanted to help," he said. "I've been to the road and you can just tell there are problems. It's a narrow road, it's a busy road, there are utility poles that . . . block views."

Lavena Sipes said Wednesday she has collected more than 2,000 signatures on a petition calling on town, county and state officials to work together on improving Main Street. She said she was "thrilled" Schumer stepped in.

"Maybe we can figure out what the right solution is, not just what the quick fix is," Sipes said.