Watch CBS News

Lawrence Residents Say Truck Traffic On Residential Street Hasn't Gotten Any Safer

LAWRENCE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Long Island residents who live near a mall in Five Towns say truck traffic continues to make life there unbearable.

Last month, CBS2 showed big rigs taking shortcuts through neighborhoods. Now, reporter Jennifer McLogan returns to see if the streets are any safer.

"Fifty three foot trailers with cargo. You are looking at at least 80,000 pounds right there," Shara Sita explained as one drove by. "He stopped by still, come on. This is what I mean, it's nonstop."

The crib of Sita's newborn sits right underneath the window of her Lawrence home, where tractor-trailer traffic taking shortcuts to the Bay Harbor Mall warehouses is a constant worry.

She said nothing has changed there since McLogan's last visit.

"Then after that, no further police here, no further surveillance here," Sita said.

The Sita family had used their cellphone cameras to document the truck trouble.

"He goes right over my curb, right over the property, doesn't have any regard, knowing he can't fit through there," Sita said.

This week, they installed surveillance cameras.

"Thank God I got these cameras. It's a little peace of mind," she said.

McLogan asked one tractor-trailer driver if he's ever been ticketed going down the street. He replied, "No, no. See that sign says, 'over 8,000 pounds, except for local deliveries."

Residents were told "local deliveries" means FedEx, UPS, postal service and moving trucks.

"I've called Ed Mangano's office numerous times, and I've left messages on their machines, trying to get some type of answer back," another homeowner, Steve Torres, said.

"We did write another eight summonses between last week, between last week and this week. We wrote another 20 prior to that. We are really trying to help," Nassau County Police Lt. Richard LeBrun said.

McLogan asked Hempstead town spokesperson Mike Derry whether they would considered making them one-way streets. He replied, "Well certainly we're willing to look at whatever residents prose to us."

Following CBS2's calls, both the town and the county acknowledged a problem, saying they are not passing the buck and pledging to meet with tormented homeowners.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.