Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor
New York Avenue solutions
To the Editor:
I live on New York Avenue and know, first hand, how dangerous the road is (see Our View “One way only?”, September 10).
Every summer I see numerous accidents and near misses. Families on bicycles are being run off the road by speeders driving 40 to 50 mph and large commercial trucks. Bicycle riders trying to stay on the edge of the road are falling into ruts on the road’s edge. I have gone down my driveway to aid riders and fix their bicycles several times.
This summer there was an accident that required an ambulance to aid a rider on New York Avenue by Chase Creek. It is a miracle that a child has not been seriously injured. New York Avenue is far from the bucolic ride described in the Reporter. It is a main thoroughfare for speeding motorists and continuous, illegal, heavy truck and bus traffic.
One solution would be to make the road one way but that would be impractical and inconvenient to the residents. However, there are two things that could be done to make the road safer:
• Enforce the “no commercial traffic” regulation that already exists and issue significant fines and penalties. This would force heavy truck and bus traffic to turn onto Route 114 as required by law.
• Install a series of traffic calming speed bumps along the entire route from Oxford Avenue to West Neck Road. This would slow down the New England cross-Island speeders using New York Avenue to get to South Ferry and the visitors rushing to the beach.
Doing nothing is a liability to the town and the Heights.
BOB DRAKE
Shelter Island
Bike ban
To the Editor:
A suggestion for safety concerns on New York Avenue: a sign detouring bike riders from the avenue. Many towns and villages have such restrictions on busy streets or commercial areas.
Yes, it would create an inconvenience for a few, but greatly reduce a hazard for both drivers and cyclists.
CONNIE POWER
Bronxville, New York
Please help
To the Editor:
About 40 years ago I sent a letter to the Reporter asking for help in purchasing a tent for the Island Girl Scouts. It was a wonderful year with more Scouts than we had in years and our equipment didn’t quite stretch, so I asked for help through the letter in the Reporter. The response was wonderful and we were able to purchase the equipment we needed.
I am writing today as president of the Shelter Island 10K Community Fund. We help many Island organizations and many individuals with grants and the use of our tents. We own several tents and loan them to groups like the Lions Club, the Historical Society, the library, Taylor’s Island, etc.
This past June our large tent was destroyed by a sudden windstorm. It was insured, but because it was about 25 years old, our return was very minimal. The cost to replace this big tent is way out of our budget. It is going to be close to $5,000 to purchase a new one.
We are asking you, our Shelter Island friends, to help us with this purchase. Lots of small donations would soon be enough to help us purchase a new tent that we would use for our annual race and be able to again share it with the other organizations on the Island.
I hope you will consider this request. Checks can be made out to Shelter Island 10K Community Fund, P.O. Box 1713, Shelter Island, NY 11964. We are a 501c3 organization.
Thanks in advance,
JACKIE TUTTLE
Shelter Island
