Letter to Editor: Lido Blvd. Needs Bike Lanes

To the Editor:

As one who has taught driver education for many years, I have come to a few thoughts about the tragic accident involving Long Beach Middle School student on Lido Boulevard, on the day of the rehearsal for the 8th grade moving up ceremony last month.

After spending thousands of dollars on reconstruction of Lido Boulevard, there was no thought to a bicycle lane. There must be a lane for the safety of all on small wheels. The elimination of one driving lane in each direction would provide this safety, which should include a concrete barrier.

While driving eastbound on Lido Boulevard on Tuesday, there was a girl on roller blades in the very narrow lane by the curb, and many times she would extend outside of the white lane line, creating an unsafe condition since cars had to swerve into the middle lane to avoid her.

In my travels going from the Seaford Oyster Expressway to Northern State Parkway, I noticed there are only two lanes. If the State of New York Department of Transportation feels that driving at 50 mph is safe, why can’t the Town of Hempstead and Nassau County have a three-mile stretch of road be reconfigured to two lanes in each direction for the safety of non-motor vehicles? This would permit bicycles, skaters, skateboarders and joggers a safe environment and they would not have to worry about cars and trucks.

Ralph A. Isaacs
Long Beach