'Sometimes it takes a tragedy'

The approval of stop signs is often a routine task for the Hempstead Town Board. But one particular proposal this week had an emotional component, especially for the East Meadow School District community. 

On Tuesday, the town board unanimously passed a proposal to install two additional stop signs at the intersection of Salisbury Road and Bowling Green Drive — the site of an automobile accident in January that resulted in the death of a Clarke High School student. 

Though it is unknown whether the stop signs would have prevented it, the incident made it clear to civic leaders and town officials that it was time to take a closer look at the heavily used intersection. 

“It’s always a sad, sad thing,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray. “Certainly when horrific crashes like that happen, there’s a certain tendency to look at stop signs in the area.”

Murray and Councilman Gary Hudes — who represents Salisbury and East Meadow — received a request to implement a four-way stop at the site. The intersection currently has stop signs on the north and south sides of Bowling Green Drive, but not on the east and west corners of Salisbury Road. 

Salisbury civic leader Helen Meittinis made the first request the night of the accident. Meittinis, the president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue, promptly sent letters to town officials requesting a review of the intersection for potential stop signs. Her wish, shared by many residents on the block and in the community, was granted on Tuesday. 

“It’s a step in the right direction as far as public safety is concerned,” Meittinis said. “Sometimes it takes a tragedy to move you forward and to rectify the situation.”

The residential streets are within walking distance of Clarke and Bowling Green Elementary School, and are heavily used by walkers and drivers during the week. According to town officials, there were four accidents reported at the intersection between 2007 and the beginning of this year. 

In the crash on Jan. 4, police said that a 2006 BMW went through a stop sign on Bowling Green Drive and struck a Chevrolet Cobalt before careening out of control and hitting a tree. The driver of the BMW, Francesco Posillico, died and two of his friends were seriously injured. The driver of the second vehicle, who was on her way home to Levittown, escaped with minor injuries. 

Neighbors hope that the addition of the traffic signs, making the intersection a four-way stop, could prevent future incidents. Susan Torres, who has lived on Bowling Green Drive for 40 years, recalls frequent accidents at the intersection. Torres, a crossing guard at Clarke for more than 30 years, said speeding has always been an issue, as cars head down Salisbury Road toward Stewart Avenue and other parts of the community. 

“I’m really shocked we didn’t have a four-way stop sign there years ago,” she said. “A season doesn’t go by where a car doesn’t get hit.”

Murray said that the town’s Traffic Control Division conducted a study of the intersection. According to the supervisor, the town follows the state guidelines to determine the necessity of stop signs or other traffic-calming measures at a particular site. Accident reports, pedestrian volume and traffic patterns are among the factors taken into account during the analysis, she said. 

“We hope at the end of the day that certainly this stop sign provides safety and a level of comfort for neighbors in the area,” Murray said, “and ultimately, safety for everyone who proceeds through that intersection and area.”

Installation of the stop signs, which cost $400 apiece, is expected to begin as soon as the town gets safety clearance from utility companies like the Long Island Power Authority and National Grid. 

“Whether it’s a million dollars or under $400,” Murray said, “if it’s about public safety, that is the biggest and overriding factor.”