Gov. Cuomo directs action on Long Island road where 5 teens were killed

FARMINGDALE (WABC) -- Gov. Cuomo is ordering immediate safety changes to the stretch of Conklin Street in Farmingdale where five teens were killed.

The Governor sent the letter to the mayor of Farmingdale on Thursday. (You can read the full text of the letter below)

Four of the teens died in the crash last Saturday night. A fifth teen later died at the hospital. Funerals have been held this week for 14-year-old Carly Lonnborg, 15-year-old Noah Francis, 17-year-old Tristan Reichle and 18-year-old Jesse Romero, and 17-year-old Cody Talanian.

In the letter, Cuomo says, "I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic accident on Conklin Street in Farmingdale that has claimed the lives of five local teenagers," Governor Cuomo wrote in the letter to Mayor Ekstrand. "It is clear that more must be done to help ensure the safety of drivers and residents in the area around Conklin Street. My administration will continue to take every available action we can through engineering, education, and enforcement to avoid tragic accidents like this in the future."

The Governor's says that this week the State installed two speed control trailers along Conklin Street to inform motorists of their speed and encourage them to obey speed limits.

Also new radar technology will be installed on Conklin Street. When speeding vehicles are identified by these radar devices, a connected traffic signal switches to red, forcing drivers to come to a stop. The State will install the first of these devices at the corner of Conklin and Walnut Streets, near the site of the tragic accident.

The Governor's Traffic Safety Committee will be working together with traffic boards and police departments from both Nassau and Suffolk Counties to review ongoing efforts and recommend further courses of action pending the results of the local investigation.

The State is also reviewing the possibility of modifying lane configurations on Conklin Street to add further traffic safety measures. These modifications may include reducing lane width, eliminating excess lanes, increasing median widths, creating turn lanes, and adding additional traffic signals.

GOVERNOR CUOMO'S LETTER:

Dear Mayor Ekstrand:

I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic accident on Conklin Street in Farmingdale that has claimed the lives of five local teenagers. My thoughts and prayers are with the family members in their time of loss and the entire community which has been shaken by this tragedy.

As a father of three daughters who drive, I know all too well the importance of keeping our roads safe. Local law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this terrible incident, and the State stands ready to offer any assistance they may require.

While that investigation remains ongoing, it is clear that more must be done to help ensure the safety of drivers and residents in the area around Conklin Street. In response, this week the State installed two speed control trailers along Conklin Street (one in each direction) to inform motorists of their speed and encourage them to obey posted speed limits.

Enforcement and education are important elements that need to be addressed as well to support any engineering of the roadway. As students come home from college and high schools wind down their academic years with proms and other celebrations, it is speeding, drag racing, distracted driving (texting, cell phone use) and drinking. With that in mind, I have directed the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee to work with traffic boards and police departments from both Nassau and Suffolk Counties to review ongoing efforts and recommend further courses of action that will also take into account the findings of the current investigation.

My administration is also evaluating further courses of action to prevent future accidents, including the installation of new radar technology that utilize traffic signals to help control motorists' speeds. When speeding vehicles are identified by these radar devices, a connected traffic signal will switch to red, forcing the driver to come to a stop. The State is planning to implement the first of these devices at the corner of Conklin and Walnut Streets near the site of Saturday's tragic accident-in the coming weeks.

We are reviewing the possibility of modifying lane configurations on Conklin Street to add further traffic calming measures. This includes reducing lane widths or eliminating excess lanes, increasing median widths, creating turn lanes, and adding additional traffic signals.

Keeping New York's young drivers safe is critically important. In this year's budget, we increased distracted driving penalties of new drivers to encourage greater responsibility and safety on the road. My administration will continue to take every available action we can through engineering, education, and enforcement to avoid tragic accidents like this in the future.

Sincerely,
Andrew M. Cuomo