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Overcast State to shut down Wantagh Pkwy lane
Transportation Dept moves to increase safety after bicyclist is killed Transportation Dept moves to increase safety after bicyclist is killed Transportation Dept moves to increase safety after bicyclist is killed
The state Department of Transportation was scheduled to begin work Tuesday to permanently close a four-mile stretch of the northbound Wantagh Parkway to enhance the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on the nearby bike path that runs from Cedar Creek Park in Seaford to Jones Beach.
"The New York State Department of Transportation shares community concerns about the safety of bike path users in the wake of the tragic July 20 death of cyclist Matthew Scarpati, who was killed when a drunk motorcyclist estimated to be traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour veered off the parkway northbound and onto the bike path," a DOT news release stated.
The plans include the closure of the right northbound traffic lane for four miles, marked by white painted stripes and a rumble strip at the edge of the new right lane to give motorists an audible warning when they come too close to the path. The stretch of parkway from just south of Sloop Channel Bridge to just north of Merrick Road will have two lanes instead of three, and be 10 feet farther from the bike path. The distance between them will range from 20 to 40 feet instead of the current 10 to 30 feet, according to the DOT.
The department also plans to install three-foot-high flexible tubular posts along the edge of the parkway where it curves as it approaches Goose Creek Bridge and Island Creek Bridge.
A decision has not yet been made about the installation of a guardrail. Thousands of people, including dozens of Merrick and Bellmore residents, have signed a petition calling for a guardrail, and more than 2,000 have joined a Facebook group called "Guard Rail for Wantagh Parkway Bike Path" since Scarpati's death.
"I think it's a step in the right direction for our cause, but is it the solution?" said his brother, Chris. "No." He explained that he favored a steel or concrete barrier, adding, "I'm not going to be happy until I see that happen."
