The recent improvements to Route 25A (North Hempstead Turnpike) in Cold Spring Harbor and the Village of Laurel Hollow provide an excellent example of a government which functions for the people and by the people. When the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) initiated the Route 25A project, which called for road resurfacing, as well as an intersection, drainage and traffic safety improvements, many concerned citizens raised their voices. The people wanted to ensure that the bucolic nature of this route and the environmental integrity of the surrounding areas would be maintained.

As a representative of this community, I brought the concerned citizens together with the DOT to discuss these issues, ensure that the community's concerns were addressed, and make certain that open lines of communication between the community and the DOT were maintained throughout the project. The ability of the DOT to accommodate the community's concerns led to a project which pleased the community and thus helped avoid potential lawsuits. Additionally, this project was completed ahead of schedule, which afforded the community minimum inconvenience, and under budget, which helped save taxpayer dollars.

It was my pleasure to help bring the community and the DOT together to discuss and resolve their differences, allowing the DOT to meet their safety goals while also preserving the natural beauty and historic character of Route 25A. The completion of this project is an excellent example of how cooperation between government agencies and an active, concerned community can benefit everyone.

Carl L. Marcellino