Bridging The Bridge

Sag Harbor and North Haven residents face an inconvenience when the bridge between the communities is replaced, no matter which of several proposals is chosen by the Department of Transportation.

While officials in both villages favor a new span in the same place as the old one, Sag Harbor merchants fear that diverting traffic during the two years it would take to finish construction would mean a loss of business. We agree. The D.O.T. has proposed allowing two-way traffic over the bridge in the summer but detouring traffic in both directions during the rest of the year. It would leave a lane open, however, for emergency vehicles.

Another proposal, to build a new bridge next to the existing one, as was done recently on Shelter Island, has been scorned by officials in both villages, while Sag Harbor's merchants like the idea.

How about this: Since one-way traffic over the bridge during its reconstruction apparently is feasible, why not install coordinated traffic signals on both approaches to the bridge and allow traffic to flow over it only in one direction at a time?

The D.O.T. argues that traffic, especially in the summer, would back up. But measure the inconvenience of travelers waiting to get over the bridge against the impact of a detour away from the Sag Harbor business area in the off-season when business is most needed. Those who use the bridge regularly will figure out the best way to avoid the snarl and get where they have to go. A slowdown for other travelers seems the lesser of two evils.