By:Jeff Lipton
More than a year ago, county traffic engineers implemented safety measures to protect pedestrians, and re-timed the traffic lights near the intersection of Broadway and West Broadway. But drivers, shopkeepers and community leaders complained that it led to delays of up to 15 minutes, producing back-ups for blocks.
Hewlett Harbor Trustee Mark Weiss led a petition drive in an effort to convince Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi to prod traffic engineers to correct the problem. More than 400 signatures were collected on the petitions and meetings were held in recent months between traffic engineers and community leaders and Hewlett-Woodmere school officials.
After re-examining the area's traffic flow, engineers have decided to eliminate two area left-turn lanes, including the left-turn lane that had been created for traffic turning into Hewlett Bay Park from Broadway. In its place two more thru-lanes will be added, one in each direction - including an additional lane for traffic moving east on Broadway - to improve traffic flow. Officials said that this should greatly reduce the traffic jams, especially at Broadway and Piermont Avenue while still maintaining safety measures implemented for pedestrians and motorists. The traffic improvements should be completed by the end of the month, county officials said.
They said it may only be a first step and that they would review the changes in the months to come and may explore more substantial changes after the summer.
"Let's see how it goes and then move to the next areas," Legislator Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) said in a phone interview.
County officials applauded Weiss for his commitment to urge them to find solutions.
"We want to thank Hewlett Harbor Trustee Mark Weiss for spearheading this issue," said Suozzi and Toback in a letter to the Herald. "By painstakingly collecting over 400 signatures from neighborhood residents and business owners, Mark made us both aware of the importance of this matter to the community."
Suozzi and Toback also commended officials from the Hewlett Bay Fire District, the Hewlett-Woodmere School District and PTA and the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library for helping to find a solution. "This is a great example of how local government should and can work together," the letter said.
Weiss hailed the new traffic measures as a victory for the community and agreed that results can be obtained if the community sticks together.
"The community should be proud of itself in terms of how it came together," said Weiss. "By coming together, many things can be done. This is a great community achievement. And County Executive Suozzi was incredibly responsive."
Traffic engineers originally implemented improvements to protect Hewlett High School students and other pedestrians with the creation of crosswalks and push-button controls for the traffic light.
The original changes were made after three students were struck by cars in the area in a few months' span. Since the improvements were made, there have been no reports of pedestrians being struck in that area, officials said.
As a result of the changes, traffic congestion was greatly increased, residents said. Weiss said area businesses were impacted since drivers would avoid shopping at local stores. In addition, officials at the fire department complained that their emergency vehicles were stuck in traffic jams.
Teri Stein, co-president of the Hewlett High School PTA, who attended the meetings with traffic engineers, said she is satisfied with the planned changes and is confident they will not compromise the safety of students.
"I'm really pleased that they listened to us and heard our concerns," said Stein. "We're going in the right direction."
Residents have complained for months about traffic tie-ups in Hewlett, including at a town hall meeting held by Town Councilmen Anthony Santino (R-East Rockaway) and James Darcy (R-Valley Stream) at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library on Monday, Jan. 31.
"It seems like the congestion is only getting worse," said resident Mark Bernstein. "It seems like when there should be a green light, there is a red light and vice-versa."
The councilmen said the county, not the town, is responsible for those intersections, which led Jim Schatz, who has lived in Hewlett for 50 years, to say, "You know all the people in Nassau County so you should get in touch with them to re-time the lights."
Darcy and Santino said they have pursued the issue with county officials.
"We can be your cheerleaders and advocates, but beyond that there is nothing we can do," Santino said.
Andrew Coen contributed to this story
Comments about this story? Jlipton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 204.
