Mulé defends Grand Avenue road diet

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County Legislator Debra Mulé on Oct. 10 defended the controversial road diet plan for parts of Grand Avenue, saying it could change Baldwin for the better. “This is something that we need to run with,” Mulé, a Freeport Democrat, said at the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting.

Under the plan, sections of Grand Avenue would be reconfigured from two lanes in both directions to one, with a center-left turn lane — a project known as a road diet. The project’s boundaries are roughly 400 feet north of Merrick Road, to about 480 feet south of Sunrise Highway; then, from Smith to Florence streets. Traffic lights would also be synchronized, according to the county, which would allow drivers to travel along Grand at more consistent speed. The work will be done with paint, and could be reversed.

Mulé supports the initiative but several residents have expressed opposition to it, saying it would reduce speeds along the corridor and increase travel time. A town hall on the plan is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 30 at Baldwin High School.

Mulé, at the chamber meeting, said a model of the proposed project shows commutes may take under a minute longer than usual. “I know it doesn’t make any intuitive sense,” she said.

One of the highlights of the project, Mulé said, is the center-left turn lane. The lane, she said, would eliminate the back-up of cars frequently seen along Grand when a driver wants to make a left. “This would eliminate that,” Mulé said.

Elizabeth Olesh, who spoke as a private citizen but is the director of the Baldwin Public Library, said road diets have calmed traffic in Port Washington, where she lives. “This could potentially be a good thing,” Olesh said. “I’m optimistic.”

While the project’s main purpose is to increase pedestrian safety, Mulé said it would also increase visibility of businesses along Grand. “This is not something that was done in a vacuum,” she said. “They work hand-in-hand.”

The Town of Hempstead is looking to implement a zoning overlay district along Grand and other corridors such as Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road. The district would establish criteria for development in the zone, meaning developers could build more projects as of right and would not have to obtain a variance.

A public meeting on that initiative is scheduled for Nov. 15, also at the high school. Mulé said she is optimistic the plan will revitalize Baldwin’s downtown, which has seen many stores remain vacant for decades. “I really feel that we are close,” she said.