Allowing for traffic in both directions

Although Village of Lawrence trustees voted to widen Williams Street and make it a two-way street at the July 6 meeting, Mayor Martin Oliner remains concerned about pedestrian safety in the area and voted against the plan.

Oliner said he didn’t expect the Williams Street plan to go to a vote at the meeting as Lawrence trustees Michael Fragin, Ed Klar and Joel Mael voted to widen Williams Street from 18.3-feet to 21.3 feet and make it a two-way street. Trustee Simon Felder was not present. The plan was initially announced at a May 12 meeting.

“I didn’t vote for it because I’m concerned it may cause a safety hazard, particularly for pedestrians,” Oliner said. “Especially if a truck comes flying around the corner; it’s an accident waiting to happen.”

Currently, traffic may only enter Williams Street from Central Avenue to get to Mulry Lane but the new plan allows vehicles to exit Williams Street parking lots onto Central Avenue.

Liane Feuer of Haber Travel Services on Central Avenue said the Williams Street plan is ludicrous. “It’s unsafe and it will create more traffic on Central Avenue,” she said. “How is the village going to control people taking a left turn onto Central Avenue from Williams Street?”

Feuer said she has been fighting with the village regarding the parking lot between her business at 335 Central Avenue and Roslyn Savings Bank next door. She said people make U-turns, left turns and come out the one-way parking lot the wrong way.

“I’d like to see how the village will prevent the same thing from happening on Williams Street,” she said. “It may be solved if they put a traffic light but I heard that’s difficult to do. It will be a real detriment to the area if they make Williams Street a two-way street.”

Lydia Ciotti, an employee at Horizon Thrift Shop on the corner of Williams Street and Central Avenue, said there is already too much traffic on Williams Street. “My boss is not happy,” Ciotti said. “The stores in the area are not satisfied with what’s going on. People already know it’s a one-way street, so there will be a lot more confusion once it becomes a two-way.”

The Village of Lawrence Building Department is currently finalizing the Williams Street plans upon which Cameron Engineering of Woodbury and Sam Schwartz and Company of New York City will immediately review the plans, Oliner said.

His main concern is safety and he plans to review the matter fully. “If the traffic engineers say there is a safety issue then the board will have to reconsider,” he said.