Saugerties traffic gets attention

By Kathryn Gill Daily Freeman January 23, 2006

SAUGERTIES - With its eclectic shopping district of independent stores and restaurants, Saugerties has experienced a growth in population and tourism that is good for the local economy, but terrible for traffic.
The Ulster County Transportation Council is embarking on an 18-month Saugerties Mobility Analysis study that aims to examine the transportation system in Saugerties and identify solutions to improve the flow of local and regional traffic. Typically, residents complain about lack of parking, overwhelming traffic, and trucks blocking vehicular routes.
The council has scheduled an interactive public workshop Wednesday evening to examine current study data on existing conditions, explore traffic problems, truck routes, parking conditions, pedestrian and bicycling safety issues, and identify potential improvements.
Ron LeBlanc, a 45-year resident of Saugerties, says that he has seen the town expand over the years and says its traffic problems mainly concern the "volume and size of the vehicles."
There are eight or nine spots in the village where a motorist must make 80- or 90-degree turns, LeBlanc said. Negotiating such angles, he said, is near impossible for the trucks that frequent U.S. Route 9W, which runs through the village. Cars must stop to let the trucks go through, LeBlanc explained, adding that he has often seen the back ends of tractor-trailers running over sidewalks in the village.
LeBlanc said truck traffic is becoming "intolerable," and that he has also seen excessive speeding.
The workshop will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Frank Greco Senior Center at Market and Robinson streets.
The Ulster County Transportation Council is hopeful that its study will ensure Saugerties will develop a "multi-modal and environmentally sensitive transportation system that is safe, convenient, efficient, and provides reliable transportation for all users."©Daily Freeman 2006

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