BILL NUMBER:  S6375

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to require the New York state department of transportation, in
consultation with the department of motor vehicles, the governor's
traffic safety committee, local police agencies, local transportation
entities in Nassau and Suffolk to conduct a study to evaluate the
configuration of entrance and exit ramps, and signage at entrance ways
and exits on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau and Suffolk counties
to determine whether adequate safety measures exist to prevent
collisions and the instance of wrong way drivers

 PURPOSE :

To require the Department of Transportation to evaluate the
configuration of entrance and exit ramps, and signage at entrance ways
and exits on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau and Suffolk
Counties.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one of this bill requires the Department of Transportation,
the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Governor's
Traffic Safety Committee, local police agencies, local transportation
entities in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and local government
              

stakeholders to conduct a study evaluating the configuration of
entrance and exit ramps and corresponding signage at entrance ways and
exits on the Southern State Parkway in Nassau and Suffolk counties to
determine if adequate safety measures exist. This study will also
address the feasibility of design changes to increase safety and
investigate federal funding available for highway safety improvement
projects. Further, the Department of Transportation is authorized to
conduct any hearings it deems necessary to accomplish the purposes of
this act.

Section two of this bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation
to issue a report to the Governor, the Long Island Delegation of the
Legislature, Nassau and Suffolk County Executives, and Nassau and
Suffolk County Legislatures with detailed recommendations and findings
from the study within two years of this act's effective date.

Section three of this bill provides that this act shall take effect
immediately.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The Southern State Parkway is a limited-access highway in Nassau and
Suffolk counties on Long Island, beginning in Elmont, Nassau County,
at an interchange with the Belt Parkway and Cross Island Parkway and
continuing 25.53 miles east to an interchange with the Sagtikos State
Parkway in West Islip, Suffolk County. The Parkway's entrance and exit
ramps were designed and constructed during the late 1920s, when fewer
and smaller vehicles traveled at slower speeds, making its width,
grade, and shoulder design antiquated and dangerous for modern
vehicles. Unfortunately, this has lead to many fatal accidents in
Nassau and Suffolk counties due to the Parkway's outdated engineering,
the configuration of the its entrance and exit ramps, and the
corresponding signage.

Today, the Southern State Parkway is one of Long Island's most heavily
traveled roads. A recent New York State Department of Transportation
study found that the parkway has five out of ten of Long Island's most
deadly driving spots. The Department of Transportation must address
this issue by conducting a study and finding solutions to update the
antiquated design and configuration of signage and entrance and exit
ramps on the Southern State Parkway to increase driver safety and save
lives.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPACT :

To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.