In response to changing traffic conditions and safety concerns, the Village of Roslyn Estates board of trustees recently commissioned an engineering firm to do a traffic study of village streets and roads.

At its March 7 meeting, the board of trustees is expected to act upon the recommendations made by Frederick P. Clark Associates, a firm with offices in New York and Fairfield, CT.

The purpose of the road study by Clark Associates is to help the village improve overall traffic safety, reduce speed and discourage through traffic from adjacent, county-maintained roads, while maintaining acceptable operating speeds.

Among the recommendations by Clark Associates are the installation of more stop signs in the village, plus reflective tape for each such sign, the relocation of stop signs closer to street intersections, the removal of vegetation near roadway intersections, the installation of single yellow or double yellow signs, the installation of pavement lines and pavement reflectors, the construction of traffic circles at certain key intersections, and both the removal of speed bumps throughout village streets and their replacement by speed humps, which the firm believes is a more effective way to reduce speeds on Roslyn Estates roads.

"Over the years there has been a couple of accidents, but we have been seeking a [traffic] study for a long time," said Roslyn Estates Mayor Susan Ben-Moshe. The mayor added that Roslyn Estates has always had narrow roads, but in this age of the SUV, such roads can create problems. Most of all, the mayor said that the village's many young families are "very frightened" by the situation. The mayor added that residents have expressed some worries and complaints over the plan, but for the most part, the feedback has been "generally very positive."

According to the Clark Associates report, many locations in the village have stop signs on one or two approaches of a three-approach intersection. "It is difficult for a motorist to realize that one leg of an intersection may not have any traffic control and in many cases it is expected when other approaches on the same road have traffic control," the report stated as its reason for more stop signs.

"The placement of these signs to improve overall traffic safety at a specific location will reduce travel speeds ... and reduce the potential for accidents at that location," the report concluded.

The report also recommends relocating stop signs closer to the intersection instead of being set back from the intersection. "Typically, stop signs ... should be placed approximately 10 feet back from the approaching travel lane; however, certain intersections may require signs be placed closer to the intersection," the report said.

In addition, the report states that sight lines at each intersection in the village could be improved with the removal of vegetation at those intersections. It recommends that either a single yellow line or a double yellow line be installed at three different roadways in order to "alert motorists to travel in the appropriate travel lane through curves." The three locations are The Oaks, The Serpentine and Diana's Trail.

In an attempt to reduce travel speeds and enhance the overall operation of "certain intersections," the study recommends the installation of traffic circles at three different intersections: The Birches at Intervale, The Serpentine at The Oaks, and The Serpentine at The Tulips.

"These intersections were selected for consideration for the installation of traffic circles due to the expansive pavement available, specific type of traffic control, such as a four-way intersection, existing center medians or islands and the identification of roadways that may be used as through roads by motorists to avoid traffic congestion and traffic signals along the nearby arterials," the report said. "These traffic circles can provide an appropriate travel control function and also can be attractive with landscaping, reduction in speed and the potential elimination of speed bumps," the report continued. "Stop or yield signs should be provided at each of these locations."

Another way to reduce traffic volume and speed would be the removal of speed bumps and their replacement by speed "humps," the report further stated.

"A speed hump can be designed to alert a motorist to slow down to an appropriate speed ... and can be designed to accommodate snowplowing and emergency vehicles," the report maintained. "Speed bumps are more abrupt and require a motorist to slow down or even stop to pass over the speed bump."

In addition to the locations for traffic circles and centerlines, the report also identifies the locations for proposed stop signs, proposed Stop bars, and where stop signs should be moved closer to the intersection. The report recommends the installation of a one-way sign at the intersection of The Birches and The Maples, along with adding a curve warning sign on The Pines.

In all, Clark Associates explains that the purpose of its study is to "initiate dialog with the village and residents" to reach those same goals of reducing speeds and traffic volume in the village, while discouraging motorists from using Roslyn Estates roadways.