KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger has called on the State Department of Transportation to conduct a thorough investigation into road safety of 44/55 where the Town of Plattekill is considering an application for a 451,000-square-foot warehousing facility at 2021 State Route 44/55.
County legislators also signed on in support, including Minority Leader Kevin Roberts (D-12, Plattekill), Legislator Debra Clinton (D-16, Gardiner and Shawangunk), Legislator Megan Sperry (D-17, New Paltz and Esopus) and Legislator Limina Grace Harmon (D-20, New Paltz).
Metzger and lawmakers expressed major concern about what they called “the existing bare-bones traffic analysis” that has been completed and are seeking a more rigorous assessment of traffic and safety issues.
Concerns about the traffic analysis have been raised by the county planning board, as well as by local officials and residents in Plattekill and neighboring communities of Gardiner and New Paltz.
“The potential volume and frequency of truck traffic from this kind of facility is a major concern for neighbors and surrounding communities, and there are issues like sight distances, speeds, and the ability of trucks to safely navigate portions of the highway system that have not been adequately examined,” said Metzger. “Our communities have recently lost four young people to accidents on three different state roads, and we insist that the proper analyses are done for this project to protect public safety and reduce risks of such tragic losses in the future.”
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply