Residents crowded into the Mattituck Presbyterian Church last night to express their concerns over an intersection in the hamlet that poses significant traffic and safety concerns.
More than 60 turned out for the monthly meeting of the Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association, which focused on what the community would like to see in regard to the future of the intersection of Main Road, Old Sound Avenue and Love Lane.
MLCA President Mary Eisenstein and secretary John Carter began by giving an overview of past discussions on the area, held by the town over a number of years.
Eisenstein began by saying the vision for the civic group was born at a January meeting of the Mattituck Chamber of Commerce attended by Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski and Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell.
“We thought this would be a project for a civic association,” Eisenstein said.
Carter said the goal of the evening was to share information and to garner public input.
“This project means many different things to many different people,” he said, outlining community objectives such as traffic and pedestrian safety, with the possibility of also enhancing the area with green space.
The safety concerns, Carter said, “can and must be fixed.”
Next, Carter outlined times in recent years when the area was addressed, such as in the Mattituck hamlet study in 2005, the Mattituck business corridor study in 2011, and the past and future town comprehensive plans.
Other concerns raised, he said, include traffic patterns, access to Love Lane, as well as area churches and the North Fork Community Theatre, and dumpsters in the town’s parking lot that make for an unsightly welcome to the area.
The MLCA has met with representatives of the Mattituck Presbyterian Church and other houses of worship to address points including the need for emergency access, the fear that limited parking could discourage attendance at church services, and the necessity to allow for funeral processions and thrift shop deliveries.
Carter displayed a number of conceptual and schematic plans but explained no action has ever been taken over the past years.
“Parking is a major concern,” he said, adding that any solutions will require traffic and engineering studies.
Members of the community expressed fears, including a concern that adding green space would eliminate parking spaces in an area where parking is already severely limited.
One man asked why nothing has been done over 20 years, and what hope there might be that something might actually take shape in the future.
Carter said the goal was to take action before tragedy strikes, such as the limo accident in July on County Road 48 in Cutchogue that took the lives of four women.
Eisenstein said she met with New York State Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo, who supported working with the New York State Department of Transportation, the town and community.
Some solutions, she said, include no left turns from west to east, from Main Road to Love Lane, traffic lights at the Love Lane intersection and at Wickham Avenue, and putting a stop to trucks that head south from Route 48 down Love Lane. A stop sign at the bend, west to east, on Route 25, was also proposed.
Also discussed was a roundabout or traffic circle, as well as straightening Main Road.
A grass meridian was suggested where the painting marks are on the curve/bend at the top of Love Lane.
“The focus of the group was on traffic calming and getting it done, the simplest, most effective, and perhaps the fastest way,” Eisenstein said.
Rory MacNish, a Mattituck Presbyterian Church congregant, said he thought the meeting was informative. “My main concern is safety for the pedestrians and drivers going around the bend there and in front of the MPC,” he said. Another local business owner, MacNish said, described the drivers that do not realize that Old Sound Avenue is a one way street, and cars that “go the wrong way” and create a dangerous situation.
“I live on Pacific Street and if they close off the area right in front of the church, which I’m not against, it would create a lot more traffic in front of my house. That would not be great, but if it saves a life, I’m for it. I think the biggest take home would be that it would need to be a great design, with lots of thought brought to the table before anything happens.”
In conclusion, Eisenstein said, “The book ‘Small Town America’ defines community spirit as residents working together, sharing common interests. People identify with and willingly assume responsibility for their community. We all know that this intersection is dangerous and we, the community, are saying we will do something before something tragic happens.”
