Intersection improved to limit traffic

Chaos at the corner has been eliminated, thanks to recent changes made by the state Department of Transportation at a busy intersection in Huntington Station.

In October last year, we featured Lynda Weinstein of Huntington, who was concerned about the five-way intersection at Dix Hills Road, Greenlawn Road and Jericho Turnpike. It was dangerous, she said, because the northbound and southbound traffic on Dix Hills Road often became entangled when crossing Jericho because Dix Hills doglegs, and drivers dodged and jockeyed around each other haphazardly in the intersection.

We had heard complaints from other readers about the same problem, and so had the DOT. At the time, spokeswoman Eileen Peters told us that a study was being done to determine how to improve the intersection.

In February, we learned that the DOT had made recommendations to the Town of Huntington about possible changes, including restricting southbound traffic on Dix Hills Road to right turns only. Another possibility was to make Dix Hills Road on the north side of Jericho a one-way street. Town officials took the recommendations to the community, and none were well-received, spokesman A.J. Carter said. "All their [DOT] options would have a negative impact on the community," he said.

Residents said they preferred a less-intrusive solution, such as a change in the traffic light sequence, he said.

In response, the DOT "eliminated turning conflicts by allowing northbound and southbound Dix Hills Road traffic to run as two separate movements instead of at the same time," Peters wrote in an email. In other words, they modified the traffic signal cycle so that northbound and southbound Dix Hills Road traffic moves separately now.

Carter said, "Obviously, because the community preferred these changes -- and they made sense -- it's what we preferred, too. So we thank the state DOT for listening to us."

Cordello Avenue in Central Islip is a half-mile road many drivers use as an alternative to the busier Carleton Avenue (County Road 17). There is a grammar school on this road and a bus stop at the Clift Street intersection, but there is only one stop sign on the entire road. I've contacted the Town of Islip about putting a stop sign at Clift Street. A traffic inspector needs only to observe for an hour to witness the near misses that occur.

--Nick Spinell, Central Islip

The Town of Islip will conduct a traffic study on Cordello Avenue once school starts to see if an all-way stop is needed at Clift Street.

Town spokesman Kevin Bonner said the last traffic study there was done in 2002, but the town has had no recorded complaints or requests from residents since then.

The 2002 data indicated that the intersection didn't meet Federal Highway Administration criteria -- such as high-volume pedestrian and vehicle traffic and crash frequency rates -- to create a four-way stop.

Since the study data is old, a new study is warranted, Bonner said. "We will treat this as an official request from Mr. Spinell for a new traffic study."

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

-- MICHAEL R. EBERT

There has been an ongoing problem with overweight trucks using Waukena Avenue in Oceanside. They create fumes and my house shakes as they go by. The posted weight limit for vehicles is 8,000 pounds. I have called Fourth Precinct police for enforcement of this law, but the trucks return after a few weeks of police activity. Can they install larger signs alerting truck drivers about the weight limit?

-- Arthur Russo, Oceanside

Fourth Precinct officers observed overweight trucks on Waukena Avenue but a high majority were doing local business, which is permitted.

Police Officer Dom Stanganelli, who is assigned to traffic safety, estimated that he visits Waukena at least twice a month for several hours of enforcement each time and last year issued 300 summonses there for various traffic law violations. Fewer than 10 were for truckers in violation of the weight limit, he said.

"Mr. Russo's complaint is being handled properly and effectively," Stanganelli said. He plans to keep monitoring truck traffic on Waukena, but said he also must spend time at locations "where people are killed and injured in accidents."

Regarding the signs: Town of Hempstead officials said the ones that are there now are the proper size. However, another sign has been installed on Long Beach Road at Waukena for northbound traffic, indicating that Long Beach Road is a state-designated truck route. Another sign warning about the 8,000-pound limit was recently added at the intersection at Oceanside Road.

Fourth Precinct residents with traffic safety concerns should call the bureau at 516-573-6400.

-MICHAEL R. EBERT