Police Chief: St. Mary’s traffic is under control
At least half a dozen signs appeared along St. Mary’s Road Wednesday morning advising drivers, “Go Back to Route 114! This is not your shortcut!”
Police are watching and ticketing, but that’s likely to be the only relief some residents along St. Mary’s Road and neighboring streets are likely to get for the foreseeable future in their battle against dangerous drivers, especially truck traffic, winding through the area.
Police Chief Jim Read brought data to the Town Board work session Tuesday, tracking the number of people driving more than 5 miles over the 35-mph speed limit between 2015 and this month.
On several dates, police tracked traffic that revealed the following:
• On August 4 through 6, 2015, 93 people were driving more than 5 mph over the speed limit out of 2,460 vehicles tracked
• On August 7 through 9, 2015, 186 drivers were driving more than 5 mph over the speed limit out of 3,106 vehicles tracked
• Between July 1 and 3, 2016 the data showed 141 drivers exceeded the speed limit by more than 5 mph out of 4,500 vehicles tracked
• Between September 2 and 4, 2016 there were 281 drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 mph out of 4,638 vehicles tracked
• Between August 10 and 12, 2017 there were 50 drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 mph out of 3,429 vehicles tracked
• Between August 18 and 20, 2017 there were 74 drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 mph out of 3,565 vehicles tracked
While there were occasional drivers barreling down St. Mary’s Road at speeds of between 51 and 70 mph, they were few and only two through all those dates driving between 66 and 77 mph, Chief Read’s data showed.
The total number of drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 mph has dropped to 2 percent, Chief Read said. He attributes the drop this summer to more ticketing and more police patrolling along St. Mary’s Road to help slow traffic.
At the same time, Councilman Jim Colligan said there’s concern about trucks using St. Mary’s Road instead of Route 114.
Those trucks are being noted by police, the chief said, and when they appear over the weight limit, they are weighed and drivers ticketed.
Accidents on St. Mary’s Road, according to police department records over more than 14 years show one resulting from someone driving while intoxicated; nine deer related; one involving a bicyclist; one resulting from a dog running loose; and two from objects left on the shoulder of the road.
Chief Read said he will continue to collect and analyze data on St. Mary’s Road and direct his officers to ticket speeders. But he said he doesn’t “see anything real glaring” in those statistics.
“I feel very comfortable that we’re on the issue,” Supervisor Jim Dougherty said.
“I feel like we’re okay there, but perception is important,” Chief Read said.
Ron Jernick, who lives on St. Mary’s Road and owns moving vans, said he doesn’t see “a major issue,” while acknowledging that he knows some of his neighbors are concerned.
Mr. Jernick said there are as many residents in the area who are comfortable with the way traffic is being handled there as there are those who are registering complaints.
Dee Clark Morehouse, one of the leaders of the group seeking to stop speeders and truck traffic on St. Mary’s Road, said the group had been told the issue would be on the agenda September 5 and they were never informed it would be discussed this week.
