Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn) held a meeting on Tuesday, March 25, at the Roslyn Community Center on Orchard Street to discuss the roadwork that is beginning in Roslyn Heights.

The project, in the works for decades, has already begun its preliminary stages; signs have been erected advising residents of the construction, and equipment and supplies are visible at the corner of Roslyn Road and Lincoln Avenue.

"This is much more than a repaving project," said Legislator Wink. "This project will be a complete reconstruction of everything from Warner Avenue to the intersection of Roslyn and Round Hill Roads, with significant improvements in terms of drainage, traffic patterns, and the appearance of the neighborhood."

Ray Stefanowicz, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works for Nassau County, was on hand to explain the details of the project and answer specific questions. A full set of detailed plans was also provided for attendees to review after the meeting.

Though the project has been much anticipated and the public response has been positive, the meeting was not just an opportunity to explain the county's plan to Roslyn residents. It also provided a chance for residents to voice their concerns about the construction schedule and plans. Particularly notable were questions about road closures and the project's effects on parking; and commitments were made to be extra mindful of these issues during the course of construction.

"Even with a project like this that everybody - me included - is excited to see happen, it is critically important that the county maintain effective lines of communication, and residents need to be informed about what is happening in their neighborhood. I'm glad we took this chance not only to tell people what we are doing, but also to find out what they are concerned about, so that we can address those concerns more effectively," said Legislator Wink.

The project is expected to take approximately a year, and may even be completed before the end of 2008.

The project will include several significant improvements to area roads, including:

* • The triangle at the corner of Round Hill Road and Roslyn Road will be eliminated, and the intersection will be reconfigured into a standard T-intersection with a traffic light at the intersection.

* • Round Hill Road will be regraded, and drainage improvements will be made throughout the entire area of construction.

* • Left turn lanes will be added on Roslyn Road for northbound traffic turning onto Lincoln Avenue and for southbound traffic turning onto Round Hill Road.

* • Lincoln Avenue will be widened at Roslyn Road, to allow for the creation of a right turn only lane to alleviate traffic backups.

* • The hazardous area at the intersections of Railroad Avenue with Warner and Lincoln Avenues will be entirely reconstructed. Clearer traffic markings and the addition of a median to replace striping in the area between Lincoln and Warner will provide a more obvious, less dangerous traffic pattern and significantly improve the appearance of the area.

Any complaints or questions about work being done can be directed to the contractor's field office at 625-0864, or faxed to 625-0917. Broader concerns about the project can also be directed to Jerry Leonetti at the Nassau County Department of Public Works at 571-6926.