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Solution for traffic problems at Massena’s School Street may not be as simple as once thought

Posted 11/18/15

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- Traffic and pedestrian flow on School Street won’t change anytime soon. Village, school and police officials had been looking at the area in light of complaints about …

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Solution for traffic problems at Massena’s School Street may not be as simple as once thought

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Traffic and pedestrian flow on School Street won’t change anytime soon.

Village, school and police officials had been looking at the area in light of complaints about kids’ safety in light of the fact that there are no sidewalks in the area, which goes between J.W. Leary Junior High and Nightengale Elementary.

There is a stop sign at the end of the junior high parking lot that says no left turn onto the sidewalkless area, but police Chief Mark LaBrake said it’s school property, therefore officers cannot pull cars over even to give an oral warning.

“If that (traffic) stop was to go bad, we would be held liable. The road is a private drive, and that is a school sign,” LaBrake said. “It’s not a legal, enforceable-by-law left turn.”

He thinks the three entities should put their heads together and look at ways of transferring a small piece of land to the village and getting a grant to install sidewalks.

“My recommendation is the street committee form a committee with somebody from the school and find answers,” LaBrake said.

“I do like the idea of exploring a grant for the sidewalk … we’ve for to explore other options,” Village Trustee Matt Lebire said.

He said the school could look at putting a flagger on the road to warn cars not to make the left turn.

“They could put somebody out there, a flag person who does flag down and inform,” he said.

Village resident Joel Greig, speaking during a public comment period, said the village should look at putting sidewalks in the entire area, including Nightengale and Highland avenues and Ransom Street.

“It’s the area in this village with the most children … and there’s no sidewalks anywhere,” he opined.

LeBire said he agrees with the sentiment, but there are more areas with a similar need and the village has limited resources.

“This happens to be an area where multiple concerns have been voiced,” Lebire said. “I could walk the town with you and point out tons of streets with sidewalks that need to be replaced … time, money need to be factored in.”