Michael Bloomberg still wants a reroute of Tuckahoe Road

Tuckahoe Road, which runs from the southern part of Southampton, intersecting Montauk Highway, to north of Route 27, goes straight through the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. And former Mayor Bloomberg is trying to change the traffic patterns, reports 27east.

Bloomberg has expressed his interest in rerouting Tuckahoe Road before, and he’s hoping to reignite the discussion of the topic. As a highly esteemed member of the historic golf club, he’s putting himself in the position to be the face of the effort in an attempt to get traffic away from the private golf club’s property.

This is not the first time that a reroute has been proposed—and not the first time that former Mayor Bloomberg has involved himself, either.

Last summer, Bloomberg joined the golf club’s president, Brett Pickett, in a pitch to Southampton Town which included Shinnecock Hills Golf Club funding about $5 million to a reroute plan. The part of the road that runs through the golf club would be used privately or just left completely unused.

However, there are currently plans for new location of Southampton Hospital near the Stony Brook Southampton campus—which Tuckahoe Road also intersects, between Montauk Highway and Route 27. And that’s currently the main traffic concern that’s on the town’s mind right now as it pertains to Tuckahoe Road.

Town Highway Superintendent Alex Gregor was in contact with the former New York City mayor last week about the issue. Gregor has opposed plans of the reroute as it would cause “drainage and clearing concerns,” as well as put pedestrians at risk. A reroute would be less safe for those not using automobiles.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman has also been reluctant to approve the plans of a reroute and doesn’t think that the plans will be discussed until things with the hospital are sorted out.

Keep in mind, next year the 2018 U.S. Open will be back at Shinnecock Hills.

• Michael Bloomberg Reaches Out To Southampton Town Official, Hoping To Revive Discussion Of Tuckahoe Road Reroute [27east]