Community Watchdog: Eyesore finally fixed

There is a vacant building at the southeast corner of Routes 112 and 25A in Port Jefferson Station that has been boarded up for upward of 20 years. It's a major eyesore in a very visible location. I've called local officials in the past, but I didn't get a straight answer about the property. I would love to know its status and see it fixed up.

- Natalia Rodefeld, Port Jefferson Station

Suffolk County took over the site in November 2009 for nonpayment of taxes. After we called, officials sent a crew last week to cut the extreme overgrowth that surrounds the boarded-up building.

To trim the high grass and weeds elsewhere on the site, Public Works Commissioner Gil Anderson called the state Department of Transportation, because the land is part of a right of way for Route 25A, a state road.

That area was cut by a DOT contractor. "Once a right of way is turned over to a contractor, it's their responsibility," said Anderson. The commissioner told us he would keep an eye on the parcel to make sure it is regularly maintained by the county and state.

According to the North Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce, the building which had housed a Kentucky Fried Chicken store, was closed because the property was too small to remodel into KFC's new image at the time. Anderson said the store had been vacant since the 1970s. The DOT had planned to use the site as part of a Route 25A bypass, but that project never materialized, he said.

The Suffolk County Division of Real Property Acquisition and Management now controls the site, which "by law must hold onto the property for three years," county spokesman Dan Aug said. After that time, the county would likely consider auctioning it, he said.

Town of Brookhaven residents concerned about neglected properties should call the town's code enforcement office at 631-451-6161.

- MICHAEL R. EBERT

A safer left turn in Islip

It took 18 months from the time we contacted the Town of Islip, but there's finally a left turn arrow on Old Nichols Road for drivers turning onto Terry Road.

In March 2009, we told readers about Jeanne Kocoris of Ronkonkoma and her request for the left turn arrow to boost safety at the intersection. The volume of oncoming traffic on Old Nichols made it difficult to make the left.

We asked the Town of Islip to conduct a traffic study at the intersection, which was done in the spring of 2009. A few months later, the town determined that an arrow would indeed increase safety, but the project was slowed because workers had to upgrade the signal equipment and install road sensors to detect vehicles in the turn lane.

Also, "the unusually severe winter both delayed progress on the project and bumped others ahead of it on the priority list," said Kevin Bonner, the town's neighborhood aide.

From 2003 to 2009, Suffolk County Police said, 45 accidents were reported at the intersection which, according to Insp. James Rhoads, the Fourth Precinct's commanding officer, appears to be average for intersections with that layout and traffic volume.

Town of Islip residents with concerns about traffic configurations on town roads should call 631-224-5610.

- MICHAEL R. EBERT

Truckers a nuisance

I live on Park Street in Copiague and there are road signs that prohibit truck traffic over 5,000 pounds. Yet, tractor trailer trucks continually use Park Street to travel from Marconi Boulevard to Dixon Avenue and visa versa. When you call the police, they never come. Something has to be done about this.

- Robert Keats, Copiague

Police tell us they'll boost the presence of patrol cars on Park Street this fall, Mr. Keats.

We contacted Suffolk's First Precinct and the Community-Oriented Police Enforcement unit has agreed to increase patrols in the neighborhood and in an effort to reduce truck traffic, police said.

Insp. Rusty McKenna, the precinct's commanding officer, said through a spokeswoman that truck drivers were using Park as a shortcut to and from businesses on Marconi. A summons for the violation carries a $75 fine.

When it comes to trucking on a residential road, police officials said the biggest problem for homeowners is the noise. Trucks are no more of a danger than other vehicles, police said.

First precinct residents concerned about illegal use of roads should call 631-854-8100.

- MICHAEL R. EBERT