Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
B.P. Molinaro and Councilman Oddo urge Staten Islanders to use caution when driving on Todt Hill road this winter
City agencies working together to plan for icy conditions on hazardous road
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro and City Councilman James S. Oddo today urged Staten Islanders to use caution when driving on Todt Hill Road, due to increased water runoff from surrounding neighborhoods and the danger of icy conditions on the sharp curves just north of Circle Road.
Councilman Oddo and Borough President Molinaro stated they have been in discussions – and had an interagency meeting today -- with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, Police Department, Department of Sanitation and the Parks Department about safety on Todt Hill Road. At this point, any long-term solution would involve installing drains and sewer connections.
In the short-term, Molinaro and Oddo reported the following steps are under review by the agencies:
* Establishing a detour route, which would be employed when the road becomes too hazardous to drive safely. This may involve closing Todt Hill Road from Richmond Road to Ocean Terrace
* Additional warning signs, including temporary electronic signage
* Continued sanding and salting roads following Department of Sanitation protocols
* Continued work by the Borough President’s “Clean Team” and Parks Department to clear brush, branches and tree stumps that create obstructions on the side of road
“We’re very concerned about traffic accidents this winter if people are not cautious when using Todt Hill Road,” said Molinaro. “We’re asking Staten Islanders to avoid the road altogether, if they can, in wintry weather conditions, and drive cautiously when they do use the road.”
Councilman Oddo said, “We have a problem that requires an immediate fix and a long term solution. We are working towards each and we want motorists tobe informedas we workto resolve this issue.”
January 13, 2012