Narrative of Resolution:
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To urge NYSDOT to improve the safety of the Sullivan Street/Kingston Avenue Intersection in the Town of Mamakating
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RESOLUTION INTRODUCED BY DISTRICT 9 LEGISLATOR TERRY BLOSSER-BERNARDO TO URGE NYSDOT TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE SULLIVAN STREET AND KINGSTON AVENUE (ROUTE 209) INTERSECTION
WHEREAS: the Sullivan County Legislature has serious concerns about a history of serious traffic accidents at the intersection of Sullivan Street and Kingston Avenue (NYS Route 209) in the Village of Wurtsboro, Town of Mamakating, County of Sullivan; and
WHEREAS: the traffic control devices at the intersection are owned and maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation “NYSDOT”, and
WHEREAS: the intersection in question is situated at the bottom of a notably steep and prolonged gradient, a geographical peculiarity that unintentionally serves as a launch pad for potential disaster, and
WHEREAS: this characteristic has been identified as a contributing factor to various accidents involving large trucks at this intersection and on multiple occasions, these vehicles, often carrying significant weight, have suffered brake failures, and
WHEREAS: as a result, they've hurtled at an alarming rate of speed into the intersection, inevitably clashing with other vehicles and/or buildings. [See attachment, Village of Wurtsboro Accidents February 23, 2023 and April 11, 2023, and
WHEREAS: the damage inflicted by these incidents is nothing short of devastating, transforming the intersection into a danger zone rather than a point of effective traffic movement, and
WHERAS: it is not uncommon for the following agencies/companies to respond to these incidents: Rock Hill Fire Department, which included Cars 1, 2, 3, Rescue 27-61 and Special Operations 27-62, Wurtsboro Fire Department, Mamakating EMS, Mobilemedic EMS, NYS Police, Prestige Towing, NYSEG, LifeNet 75, Hackensack Air and the NYSDOT, and
WHEREAS: this perilous condition and threats to human life urgently warrants our collective attention and immediate action to prevent further loss and damage, and
WHEREAS: the US Department of Transportation “USDOT”, Federal Highway Administration “FHWA” Publication No. FHWA-HRT-04-091 states that Signal preemption has been considered for intersections at the base of a steep and/or long grade, and
WHEREAS: this USDOT, FHWA publication further states that these grades can create a potentially dangerous situation for large trucks if they lose control and enter the intersection at a high speed and that traffic signal preemption could be used to reduce the likelihood of conflicts between runaway trucks and other vehicles, and
WHEREAS: there are four (4) types of Traffic Signal Preemption Technology Platform types, Acoustic, Optical , GPS and Radio, and
WHEREAS: a study in Sullivan City, Texas by the Texas Department of Transportation installed a pair of magnetic loop detectors under the pavement, connected to a Traffic Counter/Classifier (TCC) and a personal computer capable of communicating with and activating intersection signal control devices to identify trucks and determine their individual speeds, and
WHEREAS: the signal control system resulted in one hundred (100) less stops being made, and
WHEREAS: acoustical traffic signal preemption technology is routinely used with Emergency Vehicles, and
WHEREAS: the Sullivan County Legislature is giving notice the NYSDOT that this intersection is a perilous condition, constitutes a foreseeable threat to human life and urgently warrants our collective attention and immediate action.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: the Sullivan County Legislature urges the NYSDOT to use all means at its disposal including but not limited to Traffic Signal Preemption Technology to improve the safety of this intersection, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that the Clerk of the Legislature is hereby directed to forward copies of this Resolution to the Commissioner of New York State Department of Transportation Marie Therese Dominguez, Esq., Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Peter Oberacker, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Assemblyman Brian Maher, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and all others deemed necessary and proper
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