Government

Residents’ suggestions lead to three traffic change proposals

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Suggestions made by local residents have the Southold Town Board considering three changes to traffic rules in Southold and Cutchogue, including a reduced speed limit on a local street.

According to a memo from the Southold Transportation Commission — a group of citizens and elected officials — the board has received three requests: reduce the speed limit from 40 mph to 30 mph on Skunk Lane, add a stop sign at the intersection of Northern Cross and Pequash Avenue in Cutchogue and install “permit parking only” signs in the Laughing Waters neighborhood in Southold.

The commission reported that residents along Skunk Lane requested the change in speed limit between Main Road and Leslie Road. Residents also asked for more speed limit signs between Leslie and Nassau Point roads, where the speed limit is already 30 mph.

According to the commission, town police will be “placing a device to monitor speed and direction for cars traveling on this road” to move the process along with the state Department of Transportation.

Supervisor Scott Russell and Councilman Bill Ruland, who is also liaison to the commission, said the suggested speed limit changes were sent to Mr. Russell’s office, which forwarded them to the commission.

Mr. Ruland said he was surprised the commission didn’t also advocate banning U-turns on Love Lane, which he said is now technically allowed.

“One [commission] member said there’s already enough signs on Love Lane,” he said.

Town Board members said they’ll move forward with the requests and eventually set a public hearing date for the parking signs and the stop sign. The reduction in speed limit on Skunk Lane will need approval from both the Town Board and the state DOT.

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