Residents traveling on Salisbury Park Drive may find themselves easing up on the gas pedal, as they notice the recently increased radar enforcement of the road's 30 mile-per-hour speed limit.

Radar enforcement of the speed limit along Salisbury Park Drive has been beefed up in recent months, in response to ongoing community concerns about the numerous traffic accidents, and related injuries and fatalities, that have plagued the road over the past two decades. Two additional 3rd Precinct police officers were recently given radar enforcement training, bringing the total number of radar enforcement officers to four. Radar enforcement officers are authorized to issue summonses to drivers exceeding the speed limit as recorded by radar and laser devices.

While recently on duty using the radar and laser enforcement method on Salisbury Park Drive, Police Officers Kenneth Lack and Bruno Dellapina explained that the road has become a priority area for the use of the police department's radar equipment. "Radar enforcement on Salisbury Park Drive has been ongoing, but the enforcement has been increased within the past two-and-a-half to three years," said Officer Dellapina, adding, "Last summer, this area got the most use of the device in the whole precinct and county."

Officer Dellapina noted that officers are currently issuing speeding summonses to approximately 20 to 30 drivers per month, and that 50 percent of these are residents of Westbury, East Meadow, and Levittown, who seem to use it as an alternate route to Wantagh Parkway. "People have found that they are going to use Salisbury Park Drive as a cut-through," described Officer Dellapina.

Although Officer Lack noted that the method has been a deterrent to speeders, he emphasized the need for continued vigilance on the road. "The more enforcement, the less we see speeders," said Lack, adding however, "It's a continuous problem that needs continuous enforcement." The program is being conducted as part of the 3rd Precinct's Problem Oriented Policing unit.

The officers are most commonly seen near Valentine's Road, because the generous shoulder near the road is conducive to the radar setup, and to pulling over suspected speeders. However, they assured they are conducting the radar enforcement throughout the length of the thoroughfare. Their methods include a radar gun, which records the speeds of vehicles traveling in a broad field, the laser gun, which pinpoints the speeds of individual vehicles, and the radar sign, which displays the speeds of approaching vehicles.

Beverlee Szimanski, president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue (CASA), the local civic association which has been working on the Salisbury Park Drive speeding issue since the 1980s, is hopeful that the extra radar enforcement will help improve traffic safety conditions on the road, which is lined with homes. "The reason for doing this is to save lives," she commented. CASA has also provided input in an ongoing, comprehensive plan for traffic improvements for Salisbury Park Drive that is being prepared by the Nassau County Department of Public Works Traffic Division. The plan is expected to be released sometime this spring.