Adopt A Road In EH, Town Board Says

East Hampton Town invites citizens and business owners to consider adopting a road.

The process is fairly simple, said Councilwoman Sylvia Overby last week. The program is run by the town Highway Department, and on the town’s website, there is a list of all the roads available for adoption. Residents can simply pick one that has not yet been claimed.

East Hampton Town Highway superintendent Stephen Lynch said those interested must come to his office to fill out the necessary paperwork. A business that adopts a road is expected to supply volunteers at least eight times a year to walk along the section of road it has chosen, to pick up litter. “We supply safety vests, garbage picks, and bags,” Lynch said. “It works well. You fill the bag and leave it along the path. Call us, and we pick it up.”

Overby discussed the program at the town board’s work session on February 19. She said one of the perks for those who participate is a road sign recognizing the company doing the cleanup operation. She also said that, in the coming months, the process of road adoption online will be “streamlined,” to make it more interactive and forms easier to complete online.

Some roads appear to be more sought after by road-wise foster parents than others. The entirety of Abraham’s Path, from Springs to Amagansett, has been adopted, in three sections. Bluff Road, from Indian Wells Highway to Atlantic Avenue, has been adopted, but the eastern portion of Bluff Road is still looking for some love. Cranberry Hole Road in Amagansett is spoken for, as is Ditch Plains Road in Montauk, but turn the corner onto Deforest Road, and it can be yours, for the asking. Many frequently traveled roads, such as Old Stone Highway, remain at least partly available, with the majority of the roads in the town still up for grabs.

Sections of Montauk Highway are not available under the town’s program. The state runs its own “Adopt a Highway” program.

Besides the “Adopt a Road” program and the attendant signs, the board also discussed another type of road sign on February 19: those that indicate the number of deer struck by vehicles in the past year. Councilman David Lys told the board that there are 12 deer crossing signs in the town with the number on them.

In 2018, there were 646 vehicle-deer accidents reported in town. This is an increase from 2017, though it is not clear if some or all of that increase might be due to a change in methodology for recording such incidents. The East Hampton Town police recently reported a marked decrease in total accidents recorded in 2018, as opposed to 2017.

t.e@indyeastend.com