Letter: Hempstead Turnpike's still a danger
FRANKLIN SQUARE, NEW YORK - MAY 07, 2012. Using some of the newly implemented crossing safety aids announced during the launch of Nassau County's "Walk Safe Nassau", pedestrian cross Franklin Avenue at Hempstead Turnpike. Photo by Charles Eckert. Credit: Photo by Charles Eckert
This morning, there was a nice list in Newsday of all the safety improvements along Hempstead Turnpike ["First steps for safety," News, May 8]. Well, my wife and I went for a walk to check it out.
We crossed from south to north at the intersection of Gardiners Avenue-Jerusalem Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike. We used the crosswalk, and as we got about half way, the traffic heading south was released. Even though there's a sign that instructs drivers to yield to pedestrians, several cars made the turn onto Hempstead Turnpike in front of us. One in particular forced us to stop walking as it passed in front of us.
Wonderful. This problem will not be fixed until this situation is taken seriously by the state Department of Transportation. What is another 15 seconds out of the life of a driver, to hold this traffic until pedestrians can safely cross?
Tom Caro, Levittown
Editor's note: The writer is the vice president of the Levittown Property Owners Association, a civic group.
