The New York State Department of Transportation talked with local officials Monday morning about a preliminary proposal to add a turn lane and traffic light on the corner of Route 28 and Walnut Street.

Representatives from the agency also talked about a plan to add a turn lane and traffic device at the intersection of Route 28 and County Route 26 at Grasslands south of the village.

John Fitzgerald, project developer in the DOT's Region 9 Planning and Program Management office in Binghamton, said the project proposals are still early in the scoping stage and that they are beginning to solicit public input to be taken into consideration in the planning process.

The agency, he said, conducted a traffic survey of both areas and it was determined that conditions at the Walnut Street intersection called for a three-color traffic signal and a southbound left-turn lane on Route 28. Also being looked at is increasing the northbound Route 28 right-turn radius in an effort to make it easier for trucks and school buses to make the turn onto Walnut Street.

The area is currently being surveyed so that project designers may go work on developing details of the plan and Fitzgerald did not know yet if the changes would require the acquisition of land or rights-of-way.

"We don't know yet what we'll be able to do in our right-of-way," he said.

One idea currently under consideration is to close-off Grove Street.

"Another element is Grove Street," he said. "We're considering cul-de-sacing it - dead ending it - to alleviate congestion."

Fitzgerald said he is aware that many people use Grove Street for a short-cut to get from Route 80 to Route 28 and the idea may meet with some opposition.

At Grasslands, the DOT identified a pattern of rear-end accidents involving northbound traffic waiting to turn left, he said.

There are also issues with blowing snow in the area and the DOT is considering using shelter belt, or windbreak, plantings to stop the drifting snow.

"We'll also look at the sight distance and see if there is anything we can do to improve it," Fitzgerald said.

The DOT will use the winter months to seek input from area residents and next year will conduct additional traffic studies to gauge traffic flows during the busy summer season. Fitzgerald said they may also do a traffic study in the Walnut Street area in the spring while school is still in session to measure its impact on the traffic flow.

While the DOT representatives were in the village, local officials took them down to the Linden Avenue extension to show them the problems created by closing the connection to Routed 28.

"We took a ride out with the mayor and they showed us the problem and we understand it," he said.

Mayor Waller met with Sen. James Seward recently and one thing they discussed was the Linden Avenue extension and the problems inherent in trying to find a solution for what could be called a no-man's land resulting from confusion about ownership of property and responsibilities.

The village is currently conducting a survey of the area to determine the ownership of the land.

At this point, work on the Linden Avenue extension is not included in the DOT's proposal and whether or not they become involved will be a decision made by the regional director in Binghamton, Fitzgerald said.

"It gets into the issue of Senator Seward and Assemblyman Crouch. If they press us, we'll look at it," he said.

Waller said the DOT was unaware of the situation with Linden Avenue and was happy to have the opportunity to discuss it with them.

The turn lane and traffic light at Walnut Street are probably needed, she said, but it is a band-aid and that "there's more to the problem."

Fitzgerald agreed that some of the traffic congestion at Walnut Street could be eliminated if traffic headed for southbound Route 28 could access the highway from the Linden Avenue extension as it had in the past.

At this point, the project has a bid letting date of July 2004, which Fitzgerald said may be optimistic. If they stick to that timetable, construction could begin in September of 2004.

The DOT is planning on holding the first public informational meeting sometime in early December.