Death of Rte 202 Resident Leads to Calls for Traffic Study

Local elected officials are asking the state to conduct a safety study following the tragic death of an 83-year-old Montebello woman, who was struck by a car May 10 after crossing busy Route 202 to collect her mail.

Faith Leigh died at Westchester Medical Center. Police said Leigh walked into the path of the car.driven by Anna Cantu, 21, of Monroe, according to The Journal News.

Rockland County Legislature Chairman Alden H. Wolfe, who lives in and represents Montebello, and Village of Montebello Mayor Lance N. Millman and Deputy Mayor Stacy Caridi have written to Jennifer Clark, Resident Engineer for the New York State Department of Transportation, to request the study.

“A valued member of our community has been lost and it is imperative that we make sure we can do everything in our power to ensure this never happens again,” Wolfe said in a prepared statement.

The officials are requesting the DOT examine the safety of State Route 202 in the vicinity of its intersection with Mayer Drive in Montebello, where the incident occurred. They hope the study will determine that the installation of traffic and pedestrian signals and other road improvements are warranted.

“It is incumbent upon us to take action so we don’t lose another resident in such a senseless way,” Millman said. “I trust the state’s experts will conduct a proper review and determine what changes can be made to improve the safety for all who use Route 202 – vehicles and pedestrians alike.”

A total of 17 accidents have occurred near the Route 202 and Mayer Drive intersection since 2009, according to Town of Ramapo Police Department reports.

A total of 12 people have been injured and now, one person has been killed, according to the reports.

“The statistics speak for themselves and at the very least, speak to the need for a review by the state DOT,” Caridi said. “Our neighbors are more than numbers and they don’t deserve to end up as a statistic when there are steps that can be taken to bolster public safety.”