After 60 deaths in five years on Long Island roads, there are calls for the federal government to step in.
According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, Long Island’s deadliest roads include Hempstead Turnpike, as well as Jericho Turnpike/Middle Country Road, Montauk Highway/Sunrise Highway, State Route 25A and Suffolk County Route 80. Sections of each are responsible for more than 60 deaths in five years, nearly half cyclists and pedestrians.
“In the last seven weeks alone, we’ve had four pedestrians struck on Jericho Turnpike,” New Hyde Park Mayor Christopher Devane said.
Those victims include a first grader and his mother, who were going to school.
Sen. Charles Schumer says he has a message to the feds.
“To do a safety audit of the very places on Long Island where we’ve seen too many deaths,” he said.
Already, Schumer says $5 billion is earmarked for the bipartisan “Safe Streets for All.”
“Improvements that can be made temporarily, low cost, while we’re waiting for the millions of dollars of funding to come. That can be done with paint and with plastic bollards,” said Elissa Kyle, with Vision Long Island.
She says narrowing the space for drivers would cause them to tame their speeds and more safely coexist with pedestrians and bicycles. (Source: cbsnews.com)
