Golf club's neighbor upset by errant balls

I live in a senior apartment complex across the street from the West Sayville Country Club at Charles R. Dominy County Park on Montauk Highway, and we are bombarded with errant golf balls. Most of the golf course has protective netting, but there's none on a section about 200 feet long across from us. One ball came through my downstairs window and other tenants' windshields have been cracked. We collect the balls and take them across the street to officials, but still, no action.

-- Rose Van Guilder,

West Sayville

Duck, Ms. Van Guilder. We don't expect changes any time soon.

We called Mark Smith, spokesman for Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, about this and he said he would look into it. As months passed, we asked several times for an update, but he hasn't responded.

So we contacted Suffolk County Parks Commissioner Joseph Montuori, and he's not convinced netting is necessary in that section. Sure, you and other tenants have taken buckets of stray balls to his office, but he says the way the golf course is designed, balls shouldn't be headed in your direction.

"Where the gap is, it's really not where people would hit the ball," Montuori said. The existing netting protects vehicles driving past on Montauk Highway, he said.

We told the commissioner that we had seen a dent on the side of the apartment building that a tenant said was caused by a golf ball, and we can't understand why anyone would ask for netting -- which would obscure a clear view of the golf course -- unless there's a problem with balls flying over.

"If that's what's going on, we'll study it," he said. "We like to be a good neighbor."

Stay tuned.

DOT to study need for left-turn signal

I travel on Coram-Mt. Sinai Road just about every day. The southbound lanes end at Route 25, where we're in desperate need of a protected left-turn signal. Southbound traffic trying to turn left must wait up to five light changes because of constant oncoming traffic -- cars exiting a Super Stop & Shop directly across the road. I've contacted local officials about changing the traffic light pattern, but the issue remains.

-- Joel DeGregorio, Middle Island

You're not the only reader to tell us about this particular intersection, Mr. DeGregorio.

We contacted the state Department of Transportation and were told that, in response to our inquiry, traffic engineers will conduct a traffic study at the intersection this fall. The findings will be analyzed to see if a change in the signal cycle is warranted.

"A careful, individual study is needed as no two intersections on Long Island are exactly alike," DOT spokeswoman Eileen Peters said in a statement.

DOT engineers must be certain that any changes will attain improved traffic flow without compromising the safety of the approximately 25,000 motorists who use the intersection daily, Peters said.

opt trimLong Islanders with traffic safety concerns on state roads should call the DOT's Regional Traffic Engineering & Safety Office at 631-952-6020.

-- MICHAEL R. EBERT

Keeping the lights on

When two consecutive streetlights went dark on Southwoods Circle in Syosset, longtime resident Charlie Crispino said that once night falls over the neighborhood, “it’s so dark, you can’t see your hand in front of your face.”

Those lights went dark in early September. Crispino told the town of Oyster Bay about the problem, and the town told him that on Sept. 13 the problem was fixed, but Crispino said the fix didn’t last long.

So he continued making calls to the town and by last Wednesday (Sept. 28) — the fourth week of darkness — he contacted Community Watchdog. The street is home to many school-age children, he said, and as days grow shorter, it wouldn’t be long before those children would be standing in early-morning darkness waiting for the school bus.

When Watchdog called the town last Thursday (Sept. 29) afternoon, town spokesman Kurt Ludwig said a crew would go to the site that night.

On Friday morning, he reported that the crew, using temporary overhead wiring, had restored light to the darkness — but added that the actual problem that caused the lights to malfunction lies with underground wiring. And that will take longer to resolve.

For now, the neighborhood and drivers on the street can thank Crispino for keeping an eye out for their safety.

-- JUDY CARTWRIGHT