For the past several weeks, motorists have witnessed the wholesale renovation of the huge front lawn at Temple Beth Sholom.

The purpose of the big makeover is to widen the northbound traffic lane so that the Nassau County Department of Public Works can construct another traffic light on Roslyn Road.

According to Karen Prinze, a spokeswoman for Temple Beth Sholom, the traffic light will be located on Roslyn Road near the East Park housing development and the new entrance for the temple.

The massive landscaping will slightly alter the elevation of the Temple Beth Sholom front lawn, while widening the traffic lane. Once the elevation is adjusted, the landscaping and "feeding" of the lawn can begin, Ms. Prinze added. In all, the construction work will cut into about 12 feet of old Temple Beth Sholom property. Prior to construction, the temple deeded the land to the county so they could downgrade the hill.

Once the new traffic light is constructed, motorists will be able to make either a left or right turn when leaving Temple Beth Sholom. However, those drivers who are making the Roslyn exit on Northern State Parkway will not be able to turn south on Roslyn Road once they exit. They will only be able to turn north. If they have to travel south on Roslyn Road, they will have to turn around at some juncture on Roslyn.

Ms. Prinze said the first part of the construction should end around Labor Day. The county, she added, is still waiting for the wooden poles to construct the traffic lights.

Because there already is a traffic light on Roslyn Road and the Long Island Expressway, people may wonder why another light is needed on that thoroughfare. According to county officials, county engineers declared a new light to be necessary because of the volume of traffic coming off the Northern State Parkway onto Roslyn Road. Such traffic, county officials added, was causing some "dangerous situations," especially since there are a large number of pedestrian traffic near the exit. As a result, a "traffic calming measure," in this case, a new traffic light was needed.

-by Joe Scotchie