A crew from the Long Island Rail Road removed a broken tree limb last Tuesday near a road entrance to the Manhasset Secondary School after it was reported by a local civic leader as a potential danger to residents.
Richard Bentley, president of the Greater Manhasset Council of Civic Associations, said response crews were late to respond after LIRR was told about the matter.
“I don’t know how that crew did such an inferior job and put us all at risk,” Bentley said.
The limb was part of a dead tree on LIRR property along Thompson Shore road, near the three-way intersection with Manhasset Avenue and Linden Street. Bentley reported the issue on June 12. While the tree branch was eventually dealt with on the night of June 14, he said it wasn’t without the intervention of local officials.
“I can’t thank enough the county supervisor and Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth for making sure there was urgent action to take care of the problem,” Bentley said. “They took it seriously and got immediate reaction. It shows that the town system really does work. I was happy to see that.”
Bentley said he got no response from the LIRR when an email was sent describing the tree with location and photographs. He suggested the LIRR offer a more responsive system for incidents such as this.
“Post an e-mail address that you can actually submit things to. The online reporting system clearly did not take expedient action. Even though I had an urgent subject on it,” Bentley said.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority website does not offer an e-mail address to submit concerns to, but there is an automated phone line listed for LIRR concerns. LIRR officials could not be reached for comment.
“We prevented a potential tragedy from happening, so it’s a story of good news,” Bentley said.
