Grand Avenue study nears end

The lead planner of a study of the traffic on Grand Avenue said the project is near completion, with a final report, including recommendations, expected later this month or in early March.

Sean Sallie, a planning supervisor for the Nassau County Department of Public Works, wrote in an email that public comments on the Complete Streets study are still being accepted, and that his department “has been coordinating with Legislator [Laura] Curran on reviewing all comments received.”

The study became the object of some contention in Baldwin after it was unveiled to the public in November. In particular, some residents complained about the part of the proposal referred to as the “road diet,” in which Grand would be reduced in places to two lanes, with a center turning lane. Road diets are known to calm traffic and improve safety, engineers say.

Meanwhile, the project has been given a boost by the state Regional Economic Development Council, which has awarded it a grant for the design phase. The $135,000 grant represents 20 percent of the design phase estimate prepared last summer, Sallie said. The most conservative estimate for the design phase is $675,000.

“Should the total cost of the design phase be less than $675,000, the county would still be eligible for a 20 percent reimbursement of the final design cost,” Sallie wrote. “In other words, the county is eligible for 20 percent reimbursement up to a total design/engineering cost of $675,000.”

David Viana, an aide to Curran, who is a strong supporter of the Complete Streets study, stressed that the design phase has not yet begun, and won’t happen unless county lawmakers approve the final report on the study and decide which elements, if any, to proceed with.

According to Sallie, the study is close to completion, and the full report and recommendations will be available in late February or early March, on the Public Works Department website.