Community watchdog: Vines impinge on trees
Peggy McGinnis of Farmingdale contacted the Community Watchdog because the LIRR has been unresponsive to her pleas about the vines on LIRR property behind her home. The vines have grown so thick and high that they are breaking her tall cedar trees by her fence. See the tree behind her, which is broken because of the vines. (March 25, 2011) Credit: Newsday / Gwen Young
Our home is adjacent to the LIRR tracks and we have large cedar trees at the edge of our property by a high stockade fence. Overgrown vines from the railroad property have been invading the cedars, dragging down the tops and snapping them off. We call the LIRR every year and get on a waiting list but nothing happens. The last time the vines were cut back was about six years ago.
Peggy McGinnis, Farmingdale
It took two trips by LIRR crews to clear away the vines after we contacted spokesman Sal Arena about this problem. But Ms. McGinnis couldn't be happier with the result. "They did a great job," she told us.
Arena said the LIRR "has 700 miles of track and keeping the right-of-way trim is no easy matter." About $2 million has been budgeted this year for the railroad's vegetation management projects. The work is done in the spring and fall primarily to keep the tracks cleared. "In between, LIRR track workers are available to respond to individual complaints in areas not scheduled for cutting that particular year," Arena wrote in an email.
There are disabled people and senior citizens who live in apartment complexes on Route 109 in Farmingdale near Gwynne Lane and have trouble crossing that major roadway because there are no traffic signals or painted crosswalks for pedestrians. Drivers go much faster than the 40 mph speed limit because there's nothing to slow them down and that makes it difficult to safely cross 109. We need a traffic signal or at least crosswalks painted and pedestrian signs installed to avoid a tragedy.
Marc Engel, Farmingdale
The short answer, Mr. Engel, is no. Route 109 is a state road so we relayed your concerns to the state Department of Transportation. In an email, spokeswoman Eileen Peters said the DOT "encourages pedestrians . . . to use the existing crosswalks and pedestrian signals . . . at both Main Street and NY Route 109 and at NY Route 24 and NY Route 109."
We asked her how far apart those crossings were, since we could barely see them from Gwynne Lane. She responded: "The two existing pedestrian crossings at the traffic signals . . . are approximately 3,500 feet apart or 2/3 mile."
After a similar request to Mr. Engel's was made last year, DOT engineers "did consider a new traffic signal and pedestrian crosswalk at NY Route 109 and Elsie Place," which is between the two traffic signals, according to Peters. So the DOT did one of its extensive studies and, "Based on nationally accepted engineering principles," Peters wrote, "the results indicated that reducing the speed limit and installing a traffic signal and crosswalk was not appropriate and could actually increase traffic accidents and congestion." She said the DOT has contacted Nassau police asking them to enforce the speed limit.
Stop signs were installed several years ago at various intersections along Leonard Boulevard in New Hyde Park. Most drivers ignore these stop signs. When the police visited me to discuss a letter I sent on the topic, they assured me that they would be more diligent in patrolling the area. But I have seen no evidence of that. They could make a mint issuing tickets to these violators.
Vincent La Porta, New Hyde Park
The patrol cars are coming, the patrol cars are coming.
As a result of our call, Dep. Insp. Sean McCarthy of Nassau County's Third Precinct assigned an officer to conduct a full day of enforcement on Leonard and the other roads surrounding New Hyde Park Memorial High School.
Unfortunately, an accident near the school occupied much of the officer's time that day. But McCarthy said he plans to boost patrols on Leonard to help deter speeding there.
McCarthy said the precinct typically responds to the public's complaints about traffic law enforcement as manpower permits, but he noted, your street has never been a hot topic. And, he said, "I don't think it's worse than other streets."
Since 2008, officers have issued a total of 61 summonses -- including 14 as of April 1 this year -- on Leonard for tailgating, failure to stop and other offenses, McCarthy said.
Third precinct residents with concerns about traffic law enforcement can call 516-573-6300.
--MICHAEL R. EBERT
