One thing you can always be certain of in Hampton Bays is traffic. Whether you’re a local, a commuter driving through, or a tourist, there’s no escaping it.
The Hamptons are a popular getaway for people from the metropolitan area. Those coming from cities hoping to escape traffic might be disappointed to face similar situations when arriving. During the summer months, when work and tourism increases, the traffic only worsens and car trips take more time. Recently, traffic can be expected even if it isn’t the summer. The traffic can result in more accidents and late arrivals, especially for those who commute.
For many who have been living on the South Fork for a long time, the traffic has gotten significantly worse over the past 10 years. Janet Wilson, resident of Southampton Town, stated that the traffic has only worsened over the past 10 years and that she’ll even avoid leaving her home at certain times when she knows there’s traffic. She mentioned that no one can afford to live here, especially not the working class, leading to more commuters and more traffic.
Joe Colletti, a resident, stated “A trip to the [Senior] center without traffic will usually take me about six minutes, with traffic it takes around 35 minutes.” Similar to Wilson, he mentioned “It’s too expensive to live here! People have to come from elsewhere.” Colletti believes that since it’s too expensive for people to live here, they’re commuting from higher up the island. They’re referring to what some people call the “trade parade,” a daily line-up of construction and landscaping vehicles who are making their way to the South Fork, with so many people heading in one direction, traffic doesn’t seem shocking. Housing prices in the Hamptons are incredibly high and purchasing a home here is unattainable for many. The East Hampton Star wrote, “Although the market is booming for all of the trades, workers are leaving the region in droves because of the skyrocketing cost of living here [South Fork].”
During this past fall’s election season, Maria Moore, who was running for and won the seat of Southampton Town Supervisor, stated in an interview with the Patch that she believed one of the most pressing issues was “mitigating traffic congestion.” The Tide reached out to her to see if she had any further ideas on how to accomplish this but has yet to receive a response at this time. There are yet to be any new public plans created to solve the traffic congestion issue. For now, traffic will remain a pressing issue for those who live in Hampton Bays and those who commute through.
