Old Medford Ave. smash-ups BY NICOLE ALLEGREZZA A total of 28 motor vehicle accidents have been reported at or near the intersections of Old Medford Avenue and Expressway Drive North and South in Medford between January 2011 and May 2016, according to the Suffolk County Police Department’s research department. Thirteen of those involved injuries. Some have even involved death, dating back even before 2011, said Medford resident Theresa Consolmagno, who lives on Old Medford Avenue. Consolmagno has lived on Old Medford Avenue for 10 years and didn’t realize the danger of the intersections until she first moved to the neighborhood and saw a memorial on her corner. At first, she didn’t think anything of it. Then as the years passed, she and her neighbors began to notice the increasing number of accidents. The major issue is this: Traveling under the overpass, you can’t see oncoming traffic. Since then, she has written a number of letters to the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County Department of Public Works and the New York State Department of Transportation. After copious correspondence, it was pointed out that Old Medford Avenue is a town road and the intersection by the Long Island Expressway is NYSDOT’s maintenance responsibility, such as for traffic light repair. Suffolk County Legis. Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue) said he contacted Suffolk County Public Works, who informed him that though the area’s jurisdiction is confusing, the county is responsible for maintenance and filling any pothole on the service road. “We don’t have jurisdiction over changing anything on the road,” he said. “The issue is a safety issue and I believe people are running the red light there, causing serious accidents. It’s a change that needs to be done to the road and if it’s because drivers don’t see the light until it’s too late, then that is going to require a capital fix or an alteration to the road … or maybe it’s just a minor thing to fix.” Either way, he said, it is up to the state. About a month ago, Consolmagno said another accident occurred and she questioned how many times this is going to continue. According to the SCPD, that accident occurred on May 2 at the northern Expressway Service Road and involved an injury. Jenny Fahi, a former resident of Medford and current resident of Center Moriches, said her sister was a victim of that intersection, who died in an accident in 2005. While traveling north on Old Medford Avenue after dropping her 17-year-old daughter off at their parent’s house in Medford, Karen Jacobsen, 50, was hit by a driver who blew the light traveling eastbound. “There is no room to make a mistake at that intersection, it’s just too tight there,” she said. “There’s a huge problem there … especially with the sun glare. It’s terrible — anyone traveling eastbound is blinded by the sun.” Jacobsen was a high school history teacher in the Sachem School District, former graduate of Patchogue-Medford High School and an active community member. “She was an amazing woman,” said her sister. “She impacted the lives of so many kids. It was devastating for everyone when we lost her.” Heather Carty is not only an accident victim at that location, but also a resident at the corner home for over 20 years. In 2010, she said, she and her daughter Kaitlyn Carty, who was 12 years old at the time, were T-boned by another car in the early morning. Their car flipped over and her daughter was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital. Carty suffered a broken back. Luckily, they both lived, but not without post-traumatic stress, she added. “We’ve seen deaths, a drunk driver kill a 21-year-old — we’re always the first to the scene,” she said, living so close. Consolmagno and Carty are requesting action. Since May, Consolmagno has started a petition, which at first had a slow start, but has racked up 440 signatures so far. Stop signs at one point were there and then turned into lights. According to the NYSDOT, the service roads in that area were constructed in the late 1960s to 1970s. And now, “people are blowing lights,” she said. “In my petition, someone wrote that the intersections are like playing Russian roulette.” Originally, she said, she thought a mirror would help people see if cars were coming or planning to even stop for the light. Then, after speaking with local firemen, she said she believes flashing red lights would help prevent people from blowing through them. Or maybe even cameras to make people think twice about running the light. Carty suggested possibly installing guardrails and making Old Medford Avenue a dead-end instead of an intersection. NYSDOT did receive a request for safety improvements on the LIE North and South service roads at Old Medford Avenue in August 2014 from Consolmagno. According to NYSDOT public information officer Eileen Peters, the NYSDOT is currently working with a developer seeking a highway work permit for a facility on the Long Island Expressway (LIE/I-495) North Service Road in the vicinity of Old Medford Avenue. “As part of this permit process, NYSDOT will review the characteristics of the area to determine the types of improvements required in order to issue the work permit,” she explained. “Although the traffic signals at this location are maintained by NYSDOT, maintenance of the LIE service road in this area is under the jurisdiction of Suffolk County and Old Medford Avenue is a town road.” NYSDOT cannot install mirrors, as they are not considered a traffic control device and are not permissible by the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Dan Losquadro, the Town of Brookhaven highway superintendent, said though any markings or traffic controls at that location are under state jurisdiction, if the town were to facilitate any type of installation there, it would have to be approved and vetted by the NYSDOT. As of now, he said, the town has not undertaken any type of traffic study at that location and has no plans for it. Any studies, he added, would be done by the NYSDOT. “If we did want to enter into something with the NYSDOT to split costs or install something that they are unwilling or unable to, we would have to come to an agreement,” he said. According to NYS Assemb. Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), he had a scheduled meeting with Consolmagno and concerned residents yesterday to discuss and find out if anything can be done. “I want to see if there is anything we can do and I need to look further into it after meeting with the residents,” he said.