EW asks county to fix LIRR crossing

Richard Tedesco

Village of East Williston Mayor David Tanner has asked the county Department of Public Works to make crossing East Williston Avenue near the Village Green safer for pedestrians.

Tanner said he sent a letter to the county DPW last week in response to complaints he recently received about difficulties pedestrians have crossing the East Williston Long Island Rail Road plaza on Sagamore Avenue because of congested traffic.

“Some residents have brought it to our attention again due to increase traffic or perceived increase in traffic,” Tanner said. “We want to make sure the concerned residents are heard.”

Tanner said the county DPW conducted a traffic study at the street crossing in 2005 after village residents submitted a petition to the county requesting a crosswalk. 

“Perhaps it’s time to reconsider and do another study,” Tanner said in his letter to the county DPW.

He said Village of East Williston trustees had reached a consensus to contact the county DPW.

The DPW considered, but decided against, erecting a traffic light, creating crosswalk without a traffic light or a “Yield to pedestrians” sign in 2005, Tanner said.

“It’s an old issue,” he said.

County officials, he said, were concerned at the time with the difficulty of synchronizing a traffic signal with the Long Island Rail Road crossing. 

He said the county DPW also didn’t think a yield sign would be effective in helping pedestrians across the road. 

Tanner said he would like the county DPW to take another shot at developing something that would make it safer for commuters and other pedestrians to cross East Williston Avenue.

“It’s difficult crossing the street. It’s a busy street,” he said. “A re-evaluation would be worthwhile. If it’s the same it’s the same. But it probably is appropriate to have it revisited.”

County DPW spokesman Michael Martino said department officials had just received Tanner’s letter at the end of last week and are reviewing his request.

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