A pair of new stop signs will soon be installed at the intersection of Burtis Street and Marshall Avenue after the Lynbrook Village Board approved the traffic safety measure at its June 15 meeting.
The signs, expected to be installed this summer, are intended to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and students walking to and from West End School.
The request began earlier this year when Lynbrook resident Jamie Flannery contacted the Lynbrook Police Department, asking officials to evaluate the intersection. A lifelong Lynbrook resident, Flannery said she has long been concerned about speeding vehicles on Burtis Street.
“I’ve lived here my whole life,” Flannery said. “It’s always been a concern with cars flying down Burtis Street.”
Now raising three children in the neighborhood, she said the issue became even more personal.
“My kids play outside daily, and I’m always so worried the cars are going to fly down while they’re outside,” Flannery said. “There have been numerous almost accidents and accidents at this intersection.”
With her oldest daughter approaching the age when she will begin walking to West End School, Flannery said she no longer felt comfortable with the existing traffic pattern.
“It was about protecting children and creating a safer neighborhood for everyone, especially during school hours,” she said.
Lynbrook Police Chief Brian Paladino said requests for stop signs are common, but they are evaluated using traffic data rather than public opinion alone.
“Over the years, I get a lot of requests for stop signs,” Paladino said. “They don’t necessarily mean people will stop, but they definitely slow traffic down.”
To evaluate the request, the department used recently acquired traffic analysis software that measures vehicle speeds and traffic volumes using anonymous GPS and cellular data. Paladino said the technology provides a clearer picture of traffic patterns than the department previously had.
“In the past, we had crash reports and anecdotal information,” he said. “Now we’re able to look at traffic volumes and speeds much more easily.”
Although the intersection’s crash history alone did not immediately justify a stop sign, Paladino said the department found three crashes there over the past five years — a relatively high number for a neighborhood intersection.
Highway Sergeant Jason Massaro, who oversees the department’s Highway Safety Program, conducted a traffic assessment that also found heavier-than-normal traffic volumes and higher vehicle speeds during school arrival and dismissal times, as well as during the morning and evening rush.
Paladino said the intersection’s unusual layout also contributed to safety concerns. Marshall Avenue does not align directly across Burtis Street, creating an offset intersection that can make it more difficult for drivers to navigate.
Based on the findings, the department recommended installing stop signs on eastbound and westbound Burtis Street at Marshall Avenue. Existing stop signs on Marshall Avenue will remain in place.
“West End is situated in a neighborhood where a lot of people walk to school, and we have students from Lynbrook North who walk that way,” Paladino said. “It will improve safety, and we thought it was the right thing to do.”
West End Elementary School Principal Leah Murray welcomed the board’s decision.
“The health, safety and well-being of our students, staff and families remain our highest priority, and we appreciate the Village of Lynbrook’s responsiveness and partnership in helping to enhance safety around our school through the installation of a stop sign at West End,” Murray wrote in an email. “We are grateful for the strong relationship between the Village and our district in supporting our school community.”
