Recent Death Prompts Call To Action for 'Dangerous' Intersection

, of the , has always thought the intersection of Canoe Place Road and Montauk Highway was dangerous. Then, last month, one of her members, Jeannette Kelly, 84, died after her car was broadsided by a van at the cross-roads.

It was a tragic accident, said von Freddi, who has begun a campaign to see the intersection improved to prevent future deaths.

"It really is quite dangerous," said von Freddi.

With no traffic light at the intersection, von Freddi, says drivers turn from all points at will.

"You got people on Newtown Road making U-turns to go east, people turning right out of Canoe Place Road to go to Southampton and left to go to Main Street, and then there are people turning in and out of the gas station and ."

And that's not to mention, that people tend to speed near the intersection, especially since their last stopping point, heading from the East, was near the college.

"It the summer, the traffic doesn't stop at all," she said. "Hopefully someone can come up with a solution."

The Town of Southampton reports that over the past three years and nine months, there have been nine accidents at the intersection, involving 18 cars. Three people were injured in those accidents.  That does not include the most recent accident in which Kelly was killed.

von Freddi says she recently met with town officials as well as Suffolk Legis. Jay Schneiderman in an attempt to do something both in the short term and long term. Perhaps, she said the addition of a traffic light or a change in traffic pattern at the intersection, such as no left turns.

Since Montauk Highway is a county road, Schneiderman said he is looking into the situation and has already reached out to the county's department of public works.

"I am not sure if there is anything we can do," he said, "It is possibly that there couldn't be modifications, but I can't say anything until DPW gets out there and takes a look."