Time Running Out for Commack Road Project

An amendment to a state transportation program may delay a project intended to improve traffic along Commack Road until Federal Fiscal Year 2019.

Millions of dollars had been set aside to conduct a traffic study of the Commack Road corridor to develop the design of a roadway that would run parallel to Sagtikos Parkway in order to divert traffic from Commack Road and neighboring communities, Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) said in an email to residents on Wednsday. However, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) announced on February 14 that it would be making amendments to its Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) in order to meet new funding targets. Those changes are expected to postpone the study until Federal Fiscal Year 2019. The NYMTC issued a public comment period from February 15-24.

After learning of the council's plans, Stern is now urging residents to express opposition to the proposal.

"This is clearly unacceptable," he wrote.

He also expressed his disappointment that the public comment period falls at the same time as winter break for the Half Hollow Hills school district.

"It is unconscionable that NYMTC scheduled the comment period for this  important project to coincide with the February school vacation," he wrote.

Residents looking to comment on the proposal are encouraged to write to the Howie Mann at the Nassau/Suffolk Transportation Coordinating Committee at hmann@dot.state.ny.us, as well as to Senators Owen Johnson (ojohnson@nysenate.gov), Charles Fuschillo (fuschill@nysenate.gov) and John Flanagan at (flanagan@nysenate.gov).

The public comment period ends Friday, February 24 at 4 p.m.