by Brian McLaughlin
Following a meeting with state Assemblyman Robert Barra (R-Lynbrook) and state Senator Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) on Monday morning, the LIRR has agreed to erect an eight-foot fence along the length of railroad that stretches from Lyon Place to Wright Avenue in Lynbrook.
"Senator Skelos and I expressed our deep concern over the obvious problem in that area and fortunately the railroad has agreed to do something about it," said Barra.
This section of railroad includes the infamous Wilcox Alley area - a section of woods located behind Leaman Place where a number of fatal railroad accidents, including Brown's, have occurred throughout the years. In addition to being a wooded area that Leaman Place residents consider a magnet for children, Wilcox Alley contains a section of railroad tracks that is close to the ground and guarded only by a set of metal railings that are old, dilapidated and easily bypassed.
With this dangerous area almost literally in their backyards, the residents of Leaman Place have been among Lynbrook's strongest advocates for railroad fencing for years. Brown's death sparked a resurgence of their demands, and the residents became more vocal than ever.
"Something has to be done," said Leaman Place resident Rich Lanzelotti following the July 14 tragedy. "Kids should not have access to those tracks at all."
At a Lynbrook Village Board meeting Monday, July 15, Leaman Place residents as well as residents from throughout Lynbrook showed up in large numbers to plead with the board to erect a fence. Lynbrook Mayor Eugene Scarpato told the residents the village's hands were tied since all the Wilcox Alley property is owned by the LIRR.
Lynbrook board members encouraged residents to start a letter-writing campaign to the railroad requesting they put up warning signs or a fence. But instead of writing letters, Leaman Place residents wrote up a petition and began gathering signatures from other Lynbrook residents. They combined the petition, which listed about 1,500 signatures, with a petition written by local school children. They presented their petitions to Barra and Skelos, who promptly scheduled a meeting with Ken Bauer, president of the LIRR.
This was not the first time that Barra has negotiated with the LIRR for fencing by the tracks in Wilcox Alley. In his service with the Lynbrook village board in the past, Barra said, "I requested signs, lighting, anything I could possibly get in that area, but time and time again, the village was turned down."
The LIRR has dealt with complaints about Wilcox Alley for years, but has always denied requests to lay fencing in the area, claiming education was the best method to insure children's safety. But following the recent death of the Valley Stream boy, Barra said, "There was to be no more excuses for the condition of that track."
Barra said Bauer, a native of Lynbrook, knows the community and how people feel about the area, leading him to approach the issues more as a parent and resident than a railroad official.
The LIRR is in the process of designing a fence for the area. The fence will most likely be an eight-foot barrier, more like a wall than a fence. The LIRR plans to make the barrier impossible to climb or cut through, so that even breaching will not be a concern. It is predicted the barrier will resemble ones recently erected around train tracks in West Hempstead.
The plans are scheduled to be presented to Barra and Skelos in two weeks, after which they will present the plans to the Lynbrook Village Board. There is no set date for the project's completion as of yet, but Barra assures Lynbrook residents, "We want this project accomplished as quickly as humanly possible."
