Recently, this paper has reported on the dispute that has embroiled the trustees of the Village of Sands Point and residents surrounding the Village Club. Though some would like to label it as "a not in my backyard" issue - it is more than that.

Residents of not only Sands Point, but Port Washington North and the Terrace could have their safety, those of their children, their real estate values and the quality of their life at home severely impacted if proper study and objectivity is not put into the decision on traffic flow into and out of the expanded 18 hole golf course at the club.

The issue is clearly that our elected officials should not adopt or act on a proposal without a relevant exploration of facts and possible alternatives. I am glad that after listening to residents, church members and school officials my village has decided to back away from a rash decision and intends to further investigate this issue. The new traffic study must be open-minded without a preconceived conclusion on what should be the outcome. It should include items that the following letter that I was asked to submit by Mayor Wurzel discusses:

To Mayor Wurzel and the Trustees,

Let me begin by thanking you for requesting my input re: the club traffic study.

Now, let me go on record that I feel this is an unrepresentative time to study traffic patterns - however, if objectively done it may be possible to extrapolate some meaningful statistics and perhaps come to some logical assumptions. In order to be comprehensive, I suggest that the following data be included in the new study:

1. Traffic on Middle Neck Road must be measured at different times and days.

2. Each measurement must include the weather for the day it was taken as it is relevant to club usage and road traffic.

3. Traffic into and out of Forest Drive and Astor Lane must be measured at different times and on different days, especially during rush hour mornings and evenings.

4. School usage must be considered (i.e. number and times of school buses, carpools and pedestrian adults and children going to Daly and the nursery school and the United Methodist Church).

5. The future Rehab Center that was the old Sands Point Nursing Home must be taken into consideration when anticipating traffic usage.

6. Sunday church traffic at the United Methodist Church must be measured.

7. Additional extracurricular church activities such as frequency of Saturday and Sunday weddings, community meetings and fund-raising events must be impacted on traffic on Middle Neck Road.

8. The Port Washington Police Department should be contacted and an accident report for the last 2-3 years for Middle Neck Road (the section from Harbor Road to Radcliffe) should be studied and the results taken into consideration (causes such as sudden stopping rear endings and collisions at turning intersections should be evaluated).

9. The timing of the light at Astor and Middle Neck and the feasibility of altering timing to allow exit from the existing main exit at peak times must be considered.

10. The feasibility of deepening and widening the waiting area on the road just past the gate and the number of cars it can accommodate must be considered (e.g. if three painted lanes were clearly marked waiting for the light at Astor and Middle Neck existed: 2-3 cars could be at the right turn lane going North on Middle Neck where right turns are permitted on red, 2-3 cars in the middle lane going straight across to Harbor Rd., and 2-3 cars could be in the left lane making a left on to Port Washington Blvd.

11. Consideration can be given to the feasibility of moving the present gate inward several additional yards to accommodate more exiting cars at the light, hence eliminating cars waiting within club confines.

12. All traffic numbers based on auto traffic into and out of the club again must include weather info for the date of measurement - it must also include any atypical info such as a catered party, event or function.

13. All club traffic info must also include number of rounds of golf played on that date, number of tennis members using courts and if the pool were to be open, the number of pool members should be included as well. These figures can then be compared to May-September tennis, golf and pool usage so that a reasonable extrapolation can be done of peak season auto traffic.

14. The Sands Point Preserve traffic for its weekend shows and events must be noted as it imparts increased congestion on Middle Neck Road during a similar time as peak club usage.

15. The frequency of the number of cars that pass by the tee of the fifth hole must be measured so that the "wait" inconvenience to golfers can be considered (the eighth hole road no longer exists).

16. The feasibility of widening the main internal road to accommodate the width of two cars safely at the proposed posted speed limit of 15 MPH and sufficient speed bumps to prevent speeds in excess of that limit must be ascertained.

If the study takes into consideration all of the above, you will have a starting point in determining how internal vs. external access to and from the various hubs of the club will impact the well-being, safety and quality of life of both the members during their usage and the surrounding home owners and residents as they go about their everyday chores, errands, auto usage and quiet enjoyment of their lives.

Once again, thank you for this opportunity. I am (as always) available for further assistance and input.

Dr. Barry Jason