Residents in West Babylon are calling for safety changes at the intersection of Route 109 and Herzl Boulevard after a crash there, the latest in what they describe as a string of accidents. A local business owner blames a confusing blinking yellow arrow, while Suffolk legislator Jason Richberg says further action may be needed.
Residents in West Babylon are renewing their calls for changes at local intersections where they say crashes happen all too often. Their frustration was sharpened by a crash at Route 109 and Herzl Boulevard this morning, which residents describe as only the latest in a long string of accidents at a spot they have come to see as dangerous.
Those who live and work nearby paint a picture of near-constant danger at the crossing. One resident said there have been several accidents and a lot of near misses, describing a steady soundtrack of screeching tires and blaring horns as drivers navigate the intersection. For the people there every day, the close calls have become a routine part of life.
Chuck Fox, who owns a business at the intersection, said the risks are not new. He told News 12 that he witnessed a deadly crash at the same location, one that the station covered back in 2022. For Fox, the recent collision is a reminder of a problem he has watched play out at the corner for years.
Fox believes part of the danger comes down to how the traffic signal is set up. He said a blinking yellow arrow confuses many drivers, who then turn into oncoming traffic on Route 109. "It's a living nightmare," he said. "Instead of having a red arrow and a green arrow, they got a blinking yellow arrow," pointing to the signal as a source of the repeated conflicts.
The concerns are not limited to that one corner. Homeowners on Herzl Boulevard said off camera that they, too, see crashes happen often where the road meets Route 109, and they noted that the other side of Herzl, where it intersects with Wellwood Avenue, can also be tricky for drivers. One resident said the most important thing is ensuring the roads are safe, calling that the job of government.
Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg said some changes were already made on Wellwood after a 2024 traffic study, but he added that further action may be needed at both intersections. His comments left open the possibility of additional safety measures as residents keep pressing officials to act on what they see as a recurring hazard.
For now, the state Department of Transportation maintains that the traffic signals and other features at the intersection adhere to state and federal standards. That response has done little to satisfy residents, who say something still needs to change. "Nobody's doing anything about it," one said, while another called it a very serious issue for West Babylon.