Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) expressed disappointment that Suffolk County may break its commitment to begin re-construction of the Riverside Traffic Circle until 2018.

In 2014, Suffolk County contacted both Assemblyman Thiele and State Senator LaValle requesting special state legislation to permit the County to do a parkland exchange with the Town of Southampton in order that the Riverside Traffic Circle project could proceed expeditiously. Thiele and LaValle introduced the bill on May 16, 2014. It passed the State Senate on June 17, 2014 and passed the Assembly on June 19, 2015. The Governor signed the legislation on July 22, 2014.

Because the parkland exchange affected property purchased with the Community Preservation Fund (CPF), the exchange also required that the voters of the Town of Southampton approve the exchange in a town-wide referendum. On November 4, 2014, the referendum was approved by a 74% to 26% margin.

On March 14, 2015, Thiele and LaValle wrote to Suffolk County urging that the project be funded and begun expeditiously. The County responded in a letter dated April 10, 2015 stating “construction funds have been requested for the 2016 Capital Program….we will make every effort to begin construction…..in 2016.”

Only a few weeks later the 2016 Suffolk County Budget was released with no funds scheduled for construction until 2018.

Thiele stated, “The Riverside Traffic Circle is a critical part of the re-vitalization of the Flanders, Riverside, Northampton community. It is incomprehensible that Suffolk County could renege on its commitment to the residents of that area. They have waited long enough for action. The State and Town took expedited action at the request of the County. The County Legislature needs to redeem the reputation of the County and include this project for construction in the 2016 County Capital Budget. The County broke a promise once before with the schedule for the Hampton Bays Main Street project. It can’t happen again. The East End is not the County’s step-child. This is why people continue to ask me about Peconic County.”