According to the federal drought monitor, the East End has been locked in a “severe to moderate” drought since July. That has not stopped East Hampton Town from starting work to improve drainage at the intersection of Stephen Hand’s Path and Route 114.
“I’m not really thrilled about it at the moment,” said Jonathan Dayton, who has leased a farmstand at the northwest corner of the intersection for roughly 20 years. “They’re blocking the best parking area.”
Mr. Dayton is concerned about his Christmas tree sales. “We have very loyal clientele,” he said. “The same people come year after year for their tree. We appreciate our customers.”
The intersection in question collects runoff from the fields adjacent to Stephen Hand’s Path toward Long Lane. With lots of rain, the road can be completely covered in water.
“It’s been flooding out for decades,” said East Hampton Town Highway Superintendent Steve Lynch.
“There are days where water will run in the front door of my farmstand and out the back door,” said Mr. Dayton. “It is a problem, but I don’t know if what they’re doing will solve the problem.”
The solution, devised by L.K. McLean Associates, traffic engineers hired by the town, is a new drainage trunkline, now being installed underneath the road. It will collect runoff through a series of manholes on the east side of Stephen Hand’s Path and channel the water into the woods on the south side of Route 114.
Last week, trees that had been cut down to make way for the drainage project were piled up waiting for removal. They will not be replanted.
“The water will go into the woods, the sediment will fall out, and the water will leach back into the woods,” said Mr. Lynch. “You can’t use dry wells, because with the nearby farm fields, they silt up.”
A trench has been dug for the outflow. “We’re putting up a new wooden guard rail, to keep people from driving into it,” Mr. Lynch explained. The work is expected to be complete by Memorial Day.
In addition to alleviating the flooding, which has been severe enough, at times, to close the road, left-turn lanes and traffic light signals will be added at each approach to the intersection to further improve safety. Since 2014, there have been 46 accidents at the intersection, according to East Hampton Town police records.
The “storage lane” which runs along Stephen Hand’s Path and the Dayton farm stand will be extended. Traffic often backs up from Long Lane toward that intersection, and to turn right from Stephen Hand’s Path means driving through a moonscape, risking vehicular injury. That will now be a proper turning lane, with real asphalt and painted arrows. New guard rails will be installed, replacing aging ones.
“The worst accident that we saw involved a girl, a nanny with small children in the back seat, headed south on Stephen Hand’s Path trying to make a right on red onto 114,” said Mr. Dayton. “That’s legal, but you’re really supposed to stop and look for oncoming traffic. She did not, and caused a three-car pileup there.”
“People do things all the time, and you scratch your head and wonder why.”
Mr. Lynch was unable to answer a question about a permanent easement sought on the northeast corner of the intersection, along Route 114, which would affect a residential property there. That area is under state jurisdiction, he said. The property owner could not be reached.
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Correction: The print edition of this story incorrectly said that the South Fork Wind farm would be 65 miles off Montauk. The project will be installed some 35 miles off Montauk.
