U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen announced on Thursday, July 10, that she had introduced a bill in May aimed at improving local infrastructure to limit vehicular-related deaths.
As part of the Bipartisan Traffic Safety Enhancement Act, communities would be encouraged to apply for federal surface transportation block grants, which would be used to replace dangerous intersections with roundabouts.
“Improving the safety of Long Island’s dangerous roads has been one of my top priorities as a member of the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,” Gillen said.
Gillen had written a letter to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Sean Duffy, regarding safer roads. In her letter dated March 27, she said that over 2,100 people had been killed in traffic accidents on Long Island over the past 10 years and that in 2019 alone, New Yorkers paid over $23 billion in medical and legal bills, lost productivity, property damage and associated expenses.
Duffy wrote Gillen in May, saying the state Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee planned to invest $1.2 million in federal funding on Long Island for traffic enforcement campaigns, traffic safety programs, and resources for medical examiners.
“The Department remains committed to eliminating fatal crashes and working with you to achieve that goal,” Duffy said.
Gillen made the announcement at the Calvary Tabernacle Church in the Village of Hempstead, which she said was the only municipality in her district to apply for the block grant. She hopes to encourage other communities to apply for the grant next year. The village expects to hear whether it was granted its funding within the next month or two.
Hempstead Village Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. said the funding will help reduce fatalities and accidents. The village has already made adjustments to traffic safety and has reported a close to 30% reduction in accidents.
“I want to emphasize that transportation and pedestrian safety is a high priority,” Hempstead Chief of Police Richard Holland said.
Gillen used the intersection at North Franklin and Jackson Streets in Hempstead as an example of why she is pushing for safer roads. She said the intersection had 183 crashes, including two fatal crashes and 12 with serious injuries, between 2014 and 2023.
Gillen’s bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C.
