North Hempstead Town Supervisor: Long Island Expressway Billboards Would Be 'Visual Pollution'
NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Add North Hempstead's town supervisor to the list of opponents of a plan to erect advertising billboards along some roadways in Nassau County.
Judi Bosworth said the electronic signs would be an eyesore.
"In North Hempstead, our homeowners have to accept the Long Island Expressway and its service roads as a fact of life, but they shouldn't be forced to accept 48-foot-wide, 110-foot-high billboards," Bosworth told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall. "We deal with the reality of traffic congestion and pollution. We shouldn't be adding visual pollution to our highways."
The plan is to install the billboards along the Long Island Expressway and near Roosevelt Field mall. The county is looking to replace some $30 million in projected revenue that was lost from its failed school zone speed camera program.
Bosworth said that even if the county approves the measure, a North Hempstead code requires permits for billboards, which the town could deny.
"Certainly that very well (could) be a plan of action," Bosworth said.
A spokesperson for County Executive Ed Mangano said Mangano would evaluate the proposals if and when the Legislature takes action.