Letters

There was no better way for Southampton Village to “celebrate” Labor Day, the holiday honoring the social and economic contributions of working people, than to force Southampton’s working class into gridlock on Hill Street and Windmill Lane.

How? By re-imposing a so-called “pilot program” that our chief of police said was ineffective and dangerous three years ago [“New Pilot Program Will Ban Left Turns Off Lee and Captains Neck in Southampton Village,” 27east.com, August 27]. But this is expected: Mayor Bill Manger has flip-flopped repeatedly, leading the repeal of a similar plan in 2022.

Lee Avenue residents do deserve relief. Conditions there are unsafe and overdue for attention. But instead of real planning, the village waited until powerful voices started shouting. That’s not traffic engineering. That’s politics.

And if this “pilot” is being used to effectively privatize roads like Captains Neck Lane — granting 24/7 no-turn privileges to shield the estates of the wealthy rather than to improve safety — it is illegal under New York Vehicle & Traffic Law. Suppose that Roy Stevenson spent a day golfing at an exclusive club with a wealthy donor whose street, Captains Neck Lane, directly benefits from this policy. Then, days later, that street gains 24/7 restrictions. That would be cronyism.

Meanwhile, other residents aren’t given the same privilege. Even on Somerset Avenue, where a neighbor was tragically struck by a car and airlifted to Stony Brook, residents only see turn restrictions during rush hour. People like Joe McLoughlin on Halsey Neck Lane are handed a temporary traffic light that doesn’t comply with MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) standards, a negligent setup that risks pushing drivers straight into unregulated traffic on Hill Street. Residents of Pelham Street, Moses Lane and other streets will be penalized with more congestion.

When Erin Meaney, who owns Topiaire Flowers, and whose father was Mayor Bill Hattrick, wrote a letter opposing this [“Address the Cause,” Letters, August 28], and when the village ignored her, enacting regulations that favor donors listed in their campaign filings, it’s clear that our government is more concerned with privatizing roads for the wealthy than helping the working people we should honor on Labor Day.

Jessica McNerney

Southampton