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Board raises safety, access concerns as LIRR installs temporary Hampton Bays ramp
Summary
Town board members said the Long Island Rail Road’s temporary ramp in Hampton Bays improves service but raised repeated concerns about pedestrian safety, parking, and a narrow ambulance driveway that officials say created a pinch point when a broken-down truck blocked it.
A temporary ramp and siding installed by the Long Island Rail Road in Hampton Bays prompted a detailed update and safety review at the Town of Southampton meeting. Town officials said the new ramp brings passengers closer to the Ponquogue area and may improve local service, but they urged further coordination with the railroad on fencing, crosswalks and parking to prevent unsafe pedestrian and vehicle interactions.
Tom, speaking in an update to the board, said crews had just placed a ramp that brings people within about 50 feet of the Ponquogue area and that the railroad may install fencing and adjust barriers to keep pedestrians off the tracks. He said the town and railroad are discussing whether the temporary platform will be made permanent and how long it will remain in place.
Board members flagged a narrow, town‑owned driveway that serves an ambulance barn near the new ramp. One member described a recent incident in which a broken-down truck parked at a pinch point overnight, blocking emergency access until the vehicle was removed the next day. Town staff said the truck was later determined to have broken down and was not intentionally abandoned, but members said the episode underlined the site’s vulnerability.
Officials discussed a range of possible responses: posting “no parking/no standing/no stopping” signage at the driveway entrance, asking the police to enforce temporary restrictions, installing a crosswalk from the ramp to the existing sidewalk, widening or resurfacing the driveway, and directing the railroad to place fencing or move jersey barriers to channel pedestrian flow safely.
Tom said engineering drew up a crosswalk plan leading from the ramp to the sidewalk on the town parking area the town installed years ago for train-related parking. Town staff told the board they are coordinating regular calls with the railroad liaison and the highway department to resolve outstanding issues.
Board members emphasized that ambulance access must remain unobstructed. A staff liaison said the ambulance barn requires a minimum clear width for emergency vehicle movements and that any long-term changes would have to preserve that access or provide an alternative turnaround. Officials said the police have authority to post and enforce temporary no‑parking regulations if necessary.
The board agreed to return to the issue in coming work sessions to decide how much infrastructure the town should commit to — fencing, sidewalks or pavement — and to firm up whether the siding will remain temporary or be made permanent. For now, officials said passenger safety will remain their top priority as they continue coordinating with the railroad and state liaisons.
The meeting moved on after the discussion; members later voted to enter an executive session on acquisitions, litigation and personnel.
