Dan's Papers - November 30, 2007 - Round And Round They Go

"If I loved you, words wouldn't come in an easy way, round in circles I'd go."

Thinking Rogers and Hammerstein's "Carousel?" Who could blame you? Is there a lovelier musical? But if you live in Riverhead these days, you may not, when you hear the words "round in circles," let your mind travel to Maine's coast and a real fine clambake.

No indeed. Riverhead residents are thinking traffic circles. Specifically the circle on Route 58 and Roanoke Avenue. And why's that?

Drive anywhere on Route 58 in Riverhead, any time of day, and you know why. Cars, yours and mine. And cars belonging to everyone else on Long Island. From Doctor's Path, stretching past Peconic Bay Medical Center, way west to Tanger. It's stop and go, stop and stop.

Now Suffolk County had a solution. Get rid of the circle and put in an intersection. You know. Red light, green light. But Riverhead Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale and friends, lots of them, disagreed. Keep the circle, the circle's gotta stay. Looks now that Suffolk County yields to tradition, sentiment, bucolic appeal - Steve Levy, Suffolk County Executive, just proposed a plan that keeps the circle but widens it to two lanes.

The project will begin in 2009 and take a year to complete. In the interest of preserving history, grab your camera and snap a photo of what's been postcard Riverhead for so long. And maybe do what I did. Drive to Riverhead, sit in your car in one of the parking lots near the circle, and observe. If Riverhead is not your North Fork home, then you may learn, as I did, what all the fuss is about. I watched for an hour and realized the whole world revolves around that circle. Minute by minute.

First though, those YIELD signs as you approach the circle. What a mature word - yield. It is so tough to yield. Most of us can't yield even on what movie to see. Now when you've got heavy-duty horsepower on your side, yielding becomes even more difficult. And yet, day after day, yield we do.You go first. Thank you. Then off to the vineyards. Or to buy stuff at Tanger. Maybe yield signs belong all over the world, in every home. You go first. Thank you.

Before I settled in, I decided on coffee from Dunkin' Donuts just behind my parked car. Out of the car, across the lot and the darned place is closed for renovations. I know I shouldn't to anywhere without my thermos.

Back in the car. I noticed school buses traveling the circle, most going north on Roanoke. Except one from Staten Island, full of kids and heading east. Pumpkin picking, I imagine. I believe they are still circling right now.

And there's a vehicle sporting FOUR ONE'S TAXI on its side. Traveled the circle three times during my stay. Either the driver couldn't find his pick-up or business was very good.

I recognized several names, of course. Tuthill Heating Service on a call? No, the guy turned into 7-Eleven for coffee. That's where I should have parked.

Look. A little white car with the GEEK SQUAD logo. In a hurry. Someone desperate for computer help. I know how that feels.

Say a quick prayer. There's a Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance, another from Flanders Northampton. Both turn into Peconic Bay Medical Center, complete with police escort.

Some things I wondered about. Like the DAM EQUIPMENT truck. Strange name. Is the truck filled with stuff that doesn't work?

See that flatbed? Heading west and covered with burlap. Probably hauling ornamental bushes, judging by the bumps and bulges.

Also heading west is a Hawkeye camping trailer. If I could, I'd join 'em. Head right up to the Adirondacks - specifically Nick's Lake Campground in Old Forge.

Eventually I left the parking lot. Traveled east, yielding obviously, and got home in time to disagree about what to have for lunch.

But I'll tell you this. Spend some time watching the circle on Route 58 rather than just driving around it. That always-flying American flag in circle center will get to you and I bet you start thinking about the decorated Christmas tree we enjoy there every year - now only a few weeks down the road. And so Riverhead, round in circles we'd go.