Letters

The quality of life for our residents in the Hamptons is being destroyed by the awful traffic situation created by commercial vehicles taking shortcuts through residential neighborhoods. All Hampton Bays side streets are literally impassable in gridlock every weekday morning.

The solution is simple: Restrict all commercial vehicles traveling from Westhampton to Montauk onto only Sunrise Highway and County Road 39 up to its terminus at Flying Point Road in Southampton, and continue this restriction for all commercial vehicles to travel only on Montauk Highway all the way to Montauk. All commercial vehicles traveling to their local deliveries must also be restricted to designated north/south artery roads predetermined by Southampton and East Hampton town governments.

Currently, all commercial vehicles are using Google Maps and Waze for shortcuts. Tractor-trailers, cement trucks, landscape trucks with trailers, cesspool trucks, plumbers, lumber trucks, flatbeds, oil trucks, commercial vans and pickup trucks should not be allowed to travel anywhere they want in our town.

Local jurisdiction can ban them and fine violators using technology. Cameras scanning at all intersections can easily detect violating commercial vehicles. The fines will pay for enforcement.

Southampton and East Hampton towns can create their own traffic direction phone apps required for commercial vehicles to follow.

Naysayers will say we cannot do this on all roads, or it won’t be enforced, or it won’t work. I see similar restrictions on Sebonac Road, Hill Street, all parkways. Just do it ASAP and our traffic problem will be solved. Done.

While we’re at it, create safe biking and walking infrastructure so our residents and children can safely travel in our towns and villages on short trips of under five miles. Bikes sharing the road with cars and trucks is dangerous, especially for children and senior citizens biking and walking.

There are right-of-ways along the Long Island Power Authority power lines and Long Island Rail Road tracks ideal for biking between all towns, yet they are off-limits. There are many places in this country and world that allow the public to bike and walk along these right-of-ways.

E-bikes are a game-changer for personal mobility and deserve a part in traffic mitigation solution for some (but not all) people.

Andy Morris

Hampton Bays