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June 10, 2009

Peru Buttonwoods residents concerned about traffic lines

By JEFF MEYERS

PLATTSBURGH — Residents of Buttonwoods Estates in Peru are crying foul over a new set of double yellow lines placed on their main thoroughfare.

Town officials say they will try to alleviate the problem.

Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell recently approved the striping along Winding Brook Road from Route 22B to the Maiden Road intersection to help control traffic problems and improve enforcement of motorist violations.

Residents fear the move has had the opposite impact, however.

“It does not reduce speeding; it has increased speeding and has increased traffic,” Buttonwoods resident Lynn Patnode said during a public-comment period at the Town Council’s meeting this week.

“Its intent is not what it’s turned out to be. It now looks like a main highway and pulls traffic in.”

Linda Baker told town counselors that her family had moved into the area when only a few homes were there, believing it would develop into a safe community to raise children.

With the double yellow lines in place, she said, she no longer feels it is a community development.

“We have a lot of little children in the neighborhood, and this is creating a danger for them,” said Lee Ann Ruff, who agreed with the other women that speeding through the community has become increasingly more prevalent.

Town Supervisor Donald Covel told those in attendance that the highway supervisor has historically made those kinds of traffic-control decisions without council approval. He said no one was in attendance to criticize the decision but more to look for solutions.

Town Councilor Brandy McDonald said he has been discussing the issue with Farrell and has asked the superintendent to look at several options, including painting over the lines with black paint and sandblasting the road surface to remove the lines.

Most in attendance agreed that sandblasting or repaving would be too disruptive.

Covel suggested placing some roofing tar over a portion of the striped lane to see if that would work, but Farrell said it might take too long for the tar to dry.

Councilor Thomas Powers moved to install speed bumps at strategic locations to reduce speeding. The council approved the idea and asked Farrell to work with residents to find the best location for the bumps.

Councilman Pete Glushko suggested putting a sign at the Route 22B entrance identifying the community as a residential area for local traffic only. A major concern is that many people use the route as a shortcut to and from Peru Central School.

Town resident Kreig Bruno suggested that a Neighborhood Watch Program might help. In his section of Peru, people who spot speeders call the State Police with the license-plate number, he said, and police then call the owner of the vehicle and issue a warning.

Town officials asked Farrell to work on the speed bumps and come up with costs for covering the yellow lines.



E-mail Jeff Meyers at:

jmeyers@pressrepublican.com

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