If there is a corner in Smithtown that can be a poster child for dangerous and ugly it is the intersection of Rte. 347 and Rte.111. This area was once deemed one of the most dangerous intersections in Suffolk County. The state has invested heavily in rebuilding the intersection making many physical alterations over the years. The most recent construction, a divider between east and west bound traffic, has tied up traffic and cost millions in construction dollars. The construction is part of the state’s plan to improve traffic flow safely and expeditiously.
The Smithtown Town Board is moving in a direction that may negate some of the state’s work. At the June 18th Town Board’s work session there was a discussion about a proposed zone change at the Rte. 347 Rte.111 intersection that would permit a sixteen pump gas station and convenience store at this intersection. The proposal calls for a zone change on a lot currently zoned as residential.
At the work session Frank DeRubeis, planning director for Smithtown placed a hot potato in the hands of the Board members. The proposal does not meet accepted transportation practices and may present a danger to the public, he warned. According to DeRubeis, the information provided by Bolla LI, the company proposing the redevelopment of the property, is almost irrelevant. Increased traffic does not seem to be the issue but it does seem to be the issue most discussed in the traffic study presented by Bolla. The main concern for the planning department is the disruption of the traffic flow and the havoc it can create at the intersection. The proposed plan would permit the egress of traffic onto a road with a high volume of traffic and high speeds without an acceleration lane. This is a topic addressed in the Institute of Traffic Engineers manual (ITE) which advises against creating this type of dangerous condition.
Safety is non-negotiable. The Town Board has been made aware of the very serious consequences a hasty decision can lead to. An unbiased traffic study is called for sooner rather than later. Voting for the zone change and hoping the state does something about it is not good governance, it is a dereliction of duty. Town Supervisor, Patrick Vecchio, has indicated a willingness to delay the vote pending a traffic study. He also acknowledged that there has not been any response from the public. “Who knew?” was the response of neighbors in the area. “An article appeared in Newsday about the proposal and now we are hearing it is almost a done deal.”
Councilman Creighton, a candidate for Town Supervisor, said he does not believe there is a need for a new traffic study. Why? When serious safety concerns are raised by the planning department does it not warrant a second or third look at the project. The idea that the state will be the “decider” is not backed up by any fact. Towns approve and control zoning. The goal of redeveloping a blighted site is a good one but the key word when it comes to traffic is “safety”.
Supervisor Vecchio, pull the item from the agenda and have an unbiased traffic study done as quickly as possible.
Pat