As we near the end of the school year and with the warm weather seemingly upon us.  It is important to remind residents and those passing through the community that there are many more children walking and riding bicycles to school and also many more people actively on the streets.  It is up to all of us to pay attention to speed limits, stay off of cell phones while driving and watch for those crossing streets. 

     For almost two years, we have been talking about and working towards implementing traffic calming devices such as visibly enhanced cross-walks and center road signage.  And although intentions have been good, this project has taken much longer than anticipated.  We did indeed receive a grant to purchase the center-road signage but have only recently obtained the contract approvals with the county to use this signage and also add cross-walks in the village. 

     New cross-walk locations will be on North-Main Street (at Harry-Allen Park), North Main Street at Maplewood; West Main Street (at the Post Office, at the corner of York Street and near the end of Pine Trail over to Rite-Aid).  Center road signage will alert motorists to these cross-walks as well as at four crosswalks on East Street and will also will indicate that New York State Law requires that motorists yield to pedestrians in cross-walks.  This is a dramatic change that will affect our driving habits as well as our walking habits.  It will be very important for drivers to know that they need to yield to pedestrians and also important for pedestrians to be very cautious of unaware drivers when stepping into these cross-walks.

     The Village will be asking the Monroe County Sheriffs Department for their support in paying close attention to our traffic concerns and cross-walk changes.  Letters will be sent to local trucking companies and businesses informing them of these changes and I will also be sending letters to the local media to attempt to get coverage and information out to local residents and those outside the community that travel through the village.  Please be looking for these changes in the month of June.