Massapequa, NY - June 7, 2018 - On Wednesday evening, the New York State Senate passed legislation co-sponsored by Senator John Brooks, (S.3137A) that requires the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to conduct a study of the Southern State Parkway.
“Far too many lives have been lost on the Southern State Parkway as a result of the configuration of ramps and signs on the parkway,” said Senator John Brooks. “It poses a serious risk to drivers, and a study is needed in order to assess these problems so that we can modernize and upgrade the parkway. All Long Islanders and their families should have the assurance that they are safe when traveling on our roads, and this piece of legislation does just that.”
As one of Long Island’s most heavily traveled roads, a fatality occurs approximately every other month on the Southern State Parkway largely due to antiquated exit and entrance ramps and poor signage. This legislation co-sponsored by Senator Brooks seeks to identify solutions and correct these problems to prevent collisions and the instances of wrong-way drivers on the Southern State Parkway.
This study would evaluate design and safety of entrance and exit ramps and the visibility of signage, while identifying federal funding that may be available for highway safety improvements. In recent months, a series of high-profile and tragic crashes due to overheight vehicles that enter the parkway and wind up crashing into low-height bridges has led to demands for immediate safety measures on the Parkway. Senator Brooks has been a vocal proponent on the need to take immediate corrective action regarding the antiquated signage and poor safety measures on the parkway.