Government

Southold supe urges approval of Peconic Bay Boulevard weight limit

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell is urging the town’s transportation commission to reconsider a proposal to establish a weight limit on Peconic Bay Boulevard.

The board had sent the idea to the town’s transportation commission for review and their decision was to adopt a “wait and see” approach if problems on the road arise, the supervisor said.

The supervisor’s concern is that large trucks are using the road as an alternative route. He said he does not want to wait until the road becomes a problem. Limousines and buses are also using the road to get out of the “backlogs” on Main Road and Sound Avenue, he said.

“It’s a residential street,” the supervisor said. “It was not meant for commercial traffic and I just don’t think “wait-and-see” in the current traffic climate is something that we can [do]. I don’t think that’s prudent.”

Riverhead Town, which includes a portion of Peconic Bay Boulevard, adopted an eight-ton weight limit from the road’s intersection with Meetinghouse Creek Road to its intersection with Laurel Lane in March. Southold Town had discussed the idea in February after Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter reached out for a joint effort on the limit since the road runs through both towns.

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File photo: A view of Peconic Bay Boulevard looking west in Laurel. (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)