Residents of Strathmore Village are short of the support necessary for the Town of North Hempstead to impose a weekday morning traffic restriction at the intersection of Searingtown Road and Harrow Lane, said Richard Bentley, president of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations.
The proposed restriction would bar cars going north on Searingtown Road from making a left turn onto Harrow, which has become a popular cut-through for commuters seeking to avoid the busy corner one block north at Searingtown Road and Northern Boulevard and the entrance of the Americana Manhasset shopping center. It would apply from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.
At the prompting of members of the Strathmore Village Civic Association, the town sent postcards in July to every resident in Strathmore Village.
Residents were directed to vote “yes” or “no” on the proposal. No time limit was placed on the vote, which is ongoing.
If a majority of the 357 houses vote “yes,” the restriction will be enacted.
So far 114 have voted in favor, 13 are opposed and 230 have yet to reply, Bentley said.
“Residents are not thinking about the safety of the community, which includes our children waiting at bus stops,” said Ann Marie Cerrone, president of the Strathmore Village Civic Association, who said she supports the restriction.
Some residents oppose the restriction because “there are only three entrances to get into the community, so if you restrict morning hours for a left-hand turn, then people going to homes in the community have to travel all the way to Northern Boulvevard,” said Bentley, who said he also supports the restriction.
“It just takes a little extra effort to drive up one block and turn at the next light,” Cerrone said.
She took over as president of the civic group in May, after which she contacted Town Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, who suggested a few ways to resolve the issue.
According to Bentley, Kaplan offered the civic group an opportunity to distribute its own petition and gather signatures from residents.
Instead, the group opted to let the town conduct the balloting via postcard and email response, which does not record the name and location of those who have voted, Bentley said.
“The civic doesn’t know who it’s missing responses from,” he said. “It’s a time-consuming matter calling people, some of whom have already approved it.”
Cerrone said the civic group is nevertheless “in the process of reminding residents via email and flyers.”
“Our neighborhood shouldn’t be used as a cut-through. It deteriorates our quality of life when traffic barrels through,” she added.
