I wanted to voice my concern regarding a safety issue in town - crossing Main Street at Herbert Avenue during "rush hours!"

I park in the Herbert Avenue commuter lot (behind Dunkin' Donuts) for the 7:19 a.m. westbound train. In the morning I must dodge speeding garbage trucks and school buses in order to make it across Main Street safely. Thankfully the traffic isn't usually too heavy at that time - my fellow commuters and I generally cross without incident.

The evening crossing is my real concern. It is the rare driver that stops for pedestrians in the crosswalk. My observation is that most are oblivious, ignorant or just plain inconsiderate.

I believe that New York State law requires motorists to yield to pedestrians when they are in a designated crosswalk.

While I applaud the police department's efforts to educate the public - painting PED XING in the street, posting signs (long since gone) in the crosswalk - they just don't work. It's time for enforcement!

Perhaps a police officer or a crossing guard could be stationed at the intersection during peak times of the day. A more permanent solution might be to install a traffic light at the corner or even posting a "Stop Here on Red" sign.

Implementing one of these suggestions would not only improve safety for pedestrians, but would keep drivers from blocking the intersection when the light at Irma Avenue turns red (I'm pretty sure there is a NYS traffic law on the books covering this too).

I am not naive enough to think that my one letter will have an impact, but if other commuters speak up it may be possible to effect a change before we read about a serious (and possibly fatal) accident in the Port News.

Harold B. Rosen