Making Austin Blvd Safer

There can be little doubt in the minds of most Island Park residents that Austin Boulevard is unsafe.

Photo by Bill Bennett

People drive dangerously down the seven-lane road, and residents fear for the safety, and lives, of themselves and their loved ones on that road. From January to June of this year, there were 77 accidents along the small length of road.
That is why the Island Park Civic Association formed its Austin Boulevard Committee. Headed by Dina Bert, a lifetime Island Park resident, the Austin Boulevard Committee is looking to bring about some serious change on the notorious stretch of road that runs the length of Island Park. And, at the Civic Association’s meeting on Oct. 14, the first steps towards creating a safer Austin Boulevard were taken.
“You’ve heard our cries, we’ve written letters, and we need your help,” said Bert at the meeting, addressing Nassau County Legislators Jeff Toback and Denise Ford, as well as the Island Park citizens there. “The county has to help us because there are serious issues with this boulevard. I know we deserve better as a community, and I hope you all believe the same.”
At the meeting, residents were able to address some of their concerns to people who would actually be able to get things done on Austin Boulevard. In addition to Toback and Ford, there was a representative from the Nassau County Department of Public Works, as well as many Island Park public officials.
Many issues were addressed, not the least of which being what can be done to make the road safer. Residents wanted a median put up on the road, using the median that is currently being installed on Lido Boulevard as an example of what Austin Boulevard needs.
“I come in every day through Lido and I see they’re building medians,” said Island Park Schools Superintendent Dr. Edward Price. “I see they have enforcement there. When people came out in Lido and said, ‘slow down,’ the police put extra cars over there and enforced the speed limit.”
“I don’t see why that can’t happen here,” he added.
However, a median cannot just be put in the road. A traffic study of the road needs to be done beforehand, and Austin Boulevard has had no such study yet. And, as Toback made sure to point out, it is going to take time. The study needs to incorporate not only traffic patters from months during the school year (which could be anytime in the fall, winter, or spring), but also from the summer months. Which means that the soonest the study could be completed is the end of next summer.
Toback also pointed out that, while everyone in attendance was in support of changes to Austin Boulevard, not everyone in Island Park may be.
“There’s going to be opposition to a median,” he said. “The businesses on the east side of the road are not going to like their customers having to travel three blocks longer. So while it seems like common sense to us or anyone who stands out there, there are going to be business people who are going to come out against it.”
“There are going to be some of your neighbors that come out against it,” Toback added.
For their part, the Nassau County Police Department is doing what they can to stop the speeders on Austin Boulevard. In the last year, officers have written over 1,200 summonses for speeding on the road.
“As you can see, that’s a lot of tickets,” Inspector Paul Clark, the NCPD Fourth Precinct Commanding Officer, said the day after the meeting. “Twelve-hundred in a year, on just one street, is a lot of tickets. And it does get special attention from the precinct.”
“But the main problem is just simple engineering,” he added. “It’s a straightway, and straightways lend themselves to increased speed.” Clark also said that the precinct will now be putting motorcycle cops on the road, so there will be even more officers there.
Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, who was also at the meeting, pledged his, and State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos’, support in the issue.
“The voice of your legislators can make things happen,” Weisenberg said. “And we have to make things happen because…when you come up with statistics that indicate a real hazardous situation exists, it’s government’s obligation get out there to make sure you get out there and decrease the incidents that are taking place that are jeopardizing the health and safety of everyone in this area.”
The meeting ended on a positive note. Toback and Ford pledged to do what they could to help, but encouraged the citizens present to keep making sure their voices were heard.
“I think everyone agrees that something has to be done and that the situation as it is now is unacceptable,” Toback said. “And I think that if we come at it from all different angles, things will only get better.”
Questions or comments about this story? ACostello@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.

By Alex Costello
Oceanside/Island Park Herald
October 23rd, 2008

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