Residents of West Babylon in Suffolk County want to create an actual downtown for the hamlet. But traffic studies in the area say it might be harder than they think.
The intersection of Route 109 and Great East Neck Road is in the shape of a bow tie, making it difficult to develop a downtown center.
However, Diane Thiel, president of the West Babylon Main Street Organization, says it would be the perfect place to construct a new downtown because it would attract businesses and families.
“We want to be able to see businesses come here and enjoy being in West Babylon. So we thought if we could embrace our space, we could offer a lot to our community and help to the neighboring communities.”
But she acknowledges that there are major obstacles, including the amount of traffic. About 36,000 cars pass through the area every day.
The town is waiting for a response from the New York State Department of Transportation, who want to make sure that there is no impact on the existing right-of-way.