August 10,  2009

TO: Supervisor Linda Kabot

FROM Fred Cammann Bridgehampton CAC

Concerning ; Police traffic coverage in Bridgehampton

Dear Linda;

I am sorry we have to prevail upon you again; your support  for our efforts  on behalf of Bridgehampton are just terrific and we are the better for it. It seems as though every year, particularly during the summer months, the traffic  problems in Bridgehampton seem to mount. We are well accustomed to the amount of traffic, but the movement of vehicles is taking on a more ominous nature in 2009. The problem now is that  motorists moving through our community  are understandably taking advantage of the numerous  routes that surround the main street. The result is a constant stream of  drivers on  surrounding  streets that are not adapted  to this level of traffic flow..

We are experiencing serious moving violations: speeding, out of turn jumping at the 4 way stop signed intersections, perilous competition between cars, bikers, joggers, and commercial vehicles. The resulting impact is not limited to the participants but also affects  the local residents because the latter find it hard to compete with the traffic when they go about their ordinary daily  tasks.   Indeed the residents of Lumber Lane have formed a citizens’ group to seek help in addressing this problem and are presenting their case to the CAC at our meeting on Monday August 24 at 7:00 at the Bank Meeting Room

The CAC has asked me to request that the Police Department and any other Town personnel that you might suggest  come to our meeting so that we can constructively discus this  dangerous situation. I have to  admit that we are aware of most of the  reasons  why the  traffic situation is  as it is, and we aware of the vast areas  the police are  forced to cover, but we do question the priorities  of some police  enforcement that constrains pretty benign parking violations and  outdated registrations and inspection stickers rather

than providing patrols that may do much to reduce the  a series of disasters just waiting to happen. In fact we believe an ever increasing number of vehicular accidents   in this area can easily be linked to  the traffic problems our residents have identified.  So we ask for your help and extend our invitation to come to a constructive meeting on August 24.

link to the letter to Captain Tenaglia here