Williston Park residents who live on Sheridan Avenue have asked the village’s Board of Trustees to consider solutions to stop speeding on the road.

Ed Patisso read a letter to the board during Monday night’s meeting on behalf of his neighbors, saying drivers looking to bypass stoplights on Hillside Avenue do so by speeding through Sheridan, which is one block away. 

“These drivers are willing to jeopardize the safety of our families, including our children and elderly,” Patisso said.  

He added the two-way road narrows considerably due to cars oftentimes being parked on both sides of Sheridan and cars need to get through it quickly so it doesn’t block traffic from an oncoming car. 

“Our vehicles have been sideswiped, severely damaged and pushed onto the sidewalk,” Patisso said. “We’ve even witnessed a car flipping over. Sheridan could become the site of a future tragedy if not addressed immediately.”

Patisso asked the board to consider installing a speed hump and additional speed limit signs. 

Mayor Paul Ehrbar said he has spoken with residents throughout the village and the speeding issue is one that does not have a simple solution, calling it a “very difficult situation.”

“Every block in the village has the same issue,” Ehrbar said. “There are too many cars in the street, people do not stop at stop signs and there’s not enough officers in Nassau County to cover every street in Williston Park.

Ehrbar went on to say that installing a speed hump would create issues for plowing the road in the winter, also citing the cost and the potential demand from other residents for a speed hump on their roads as well. The mayor said when issues have been brought to the village about parking or speeding, he has reached out to the 3rd Precinct and they’ve responded with enforcement. 

There have also been two car accidents on Sheridan in the last two years, Ehrbar said, according to information provided to him by the precinct. The village’s mobile speed radar sign that tells drivers their current speeds is currently stationed on Sheridan, he said. “It’s a frustrating thing, I don’t want you to think we’ve been ignoring you, but it’s a difficult problem and there’s no easy solution,” Ehrbar said. 

In unrelated village news, trustees reserved a decision on a special permit application by Albert Zolezzi Auto Body. The application is to add two bays in the rear of the property for mechanical work. 

The village’s annual Ragamuffin Parade will be on Saturday, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at village hall. The parade will proceed west on Lafayette Street, north on Park Avenue, east on Center Street, crossing Willis Avenue, east on Dartmouth Street and north on Broad Street to Kelleher Field.

At Kelleher, there will be games, races, a best costume contest and a DJ.