More delays for Austin Boulevard

For over 20 years residents of Island Park have been trying to get traffic on Austin Boulevard to slow down.

There have been numerous studies of the traffic over the years, and finally the county Department of Public Works [DPW], and the Department of Transportation [DOT] agree something must be done. Spokesman for the DPW, Mary Studdert explained the funding for the project is already in place. In a letter to County Legislator Denise Ford she said, “Following the review of a Traffic Study, Public Works was able to secure Federal Highway Safety Improvement Project grant money in the amount of $5,650,000, which includes a $700,000 match by Nassau County. This money was earmarked and added to the County’s Capital Plan in order to implement vehicle and pedestrian safety improvements”

The project includes the following:

- Installing left turn lanes and painting medians.

- The widening of the parking lane, travel lanes, and left turn lanes.

- Installing pedestrian curb bulb outs. They provide a shorter crossing for pedestrians, and visually narrow the roadway.

- Americans with Disabilities Act compliant pedestrian ramps, countdown signals, and audible pedestrian signals where feasible

- Drainage upgrades

- Repaving the roadway from curb to curb

- Various streetscape and landscape features including lighting

 “In addition to the roadway improvements, Public Works has also secured funding from the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Recovery fund in the amount of $4,300,000 which includes a $860,000 match by Nassau County to make upgrades and repairs to the Traffic Signal Infrastructure that were damaged during Hurricane Sandy,” Studdert said.

That work will include:

- Rebuilding 14 traffic signals

- Installation of underground fiber optic communications

- Installation of five traffic surveillance cameras

- Installation of four Variable Message Signs”