Community Speaks On Possibly Lowering Speed Limit In Greenport

GREENPORT, NY — A crowd turned out at the Third Street Firehouse in Greenport Thursday night for a public hearing on whether or not the speed limit in the village should be lowered from 30 to 25 miles per hour.

Because Main Street and Front Street are under New York State's jurisdiction, an appeal would need to be made to the state to change legislation and create the lower speed limit.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said he did not see the need to drop the speed limit to 25 mph; he added that the village does a good job with its use of stop signs and the police department is not getting complaints about motorists speeding — except, perhaps, in certain areas of Front Street, entering the village, and on Main Street, leaving the village.

"It's my recommendation, if there is an issue with speeding on any particular roadways, that people should contact the police department and we can address it with speed enforcement," he said.

Flatley added that he didn't have any crash or accident data to support his stance and said he'd work with the village board, no matter what they ultimately decided.

Greenport Village Trustee Doug Roberts asked if there was any downside to lowering the speed limit.

Flatley said while there was not a downside, he didn't see what effect lowering the speed limit five miles an hour would have. He said he didn't know if motorists would follow the directive and said Main Street has cars parked that slow traffic naturally.

Greenport Village Trustee Mary Bess Phillips said motorists often come off the North Road in a hurry to get to the ferry — driving about 45 miles per hour or more —and she says she does not believe there is enough Town of Southold signage indicating the speed limit.

Flatley said he could certainly address signage with the highway department.

Roberts asked if the village could use the large electronic radar sign by Mattituck High School that tells motorists the speed at which they're driving; Flatley said the village could use the sign, which is on a trailer and can be moved.

Jeanette Lamothe recalled an incident in 2011 when a truck went through a curve on Main Street between Broad and Stirling, missed the turn, and hit a church.

"I have grandchildren that play in that yard. That's not the only time a car has gone through that intersection" at a high rate of speed, she said. "It's a very, very dangerous intersection."

Lamothe said she's seen cars speeding at up to 55 mph on the sharp turn. "I like to sleep on my couch for a nap. But I do think about whether a car could come through my living room at any time," she said. Her son-in-law once planted tree trunks into cement to protect her grandchildren. "It's a serious problem," she said.

Ken Ludacer said he's scratched his head for years because he believes a motorist cannot go 30 miles per hour in the village as it stands; there are too many hazards.

Others felt a drop in speed limit wouldn't solve the issues.

JoAnne Kiehl said people already speed right through stop signs. "Even if you change the speed limit, they'll go the same speed, regardless," she said, adding that she believes enforcement is the answer. "We need more law enforcement monitoring those streets," she said.

When he first moved to Greenport full time, Peter Clarke said he brought up the issue of the speed limit to then-Mayor David Kapell. He said this was his third time before various administrations, asking for the lowered speed limit.

Clarke said he realized Flatley was counseling against the lowered speed limit but said he felt maybe some residents were "burnt out" and didn't feel raising concerns to the authorities would make a difference. Therefore, Clarke said, "As a result, the police do not have an accurate picture of what's going on."

He also said he'd like to dispel the myth that the traffic and speeding woes came from any one group, whether it be summer people versus year round residents. "We have trouble with everyone," Clarke said.

Once motorists are free of encumbrances and crosswalks, they "really floor their vehicles to get out of Greenport," he said.

And, now that Main Street was recently widened, he fears even greater risks.

Clarke listed a number of other crashes that had taken place at the site Lamothe mentioned. "This is not just once in a blue moon," he said.

Also, ambulances and employees, running late and rushing to Eastern Long Hospital, pose additional risks, he said. "I never step into that crosswalk without looking twice," he said. "I'm a New Yorker. I'm not really cautious by nature, but I'm afraid my dog will be run over."

Some villages, he said, are "militant" about signage, reminding drivers that there are children in the area, listing a speed limit and urging motorists to slow down.

He believes adopting the lower speed limit will send a very strong message.

"The village is not just some hamlet you speed through to get somewhere else," Clarke said. He said he's fearful that if "strong and swift action" is not taken, the repercussions could be deadly.

Lowering the speed limit "won't change anyone's life but if you don't, it could take someone's life," Clarke said.

John Saladino said he hadn't yet heard anyone say that the 30 mph speed limit was unsafe. He acknowledged that people are speeding but said decreasing the speed limit will only make the speeding tickets more expensive for those paying the fines.

"Everything we've heard is emotional and not empirical," Saladino said. He explained that he spent a year in a wheelchair after being hit in a crosswalk and knows the dangers firsthand. But, he said, "I think we should change the code when it does something real and good. I don't think we should change the code because of the perception."

If Flatley could say with certainty that the 30 mph speed limit was unsafe, Saladino said he'd support lowering the speed limit. And, he added, "Enforcement is the key."

Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard said when he's driving the speed limit he has motorists blowing their horns, right behind him.

Flatley said he was happy to listen to concerns and complaints. He said the police department did a speed survey near ELIH last year, utilizing an unmarked car with a radar gun; the majority of cars were going below 30 mph, he said. Problems with speeding are not unique to the village, Flatley said.

The chief said he'd set up speed surveys again at areas where attention needed to be spotlighted.

Phillips suggested one area be near the hospital before shift changes, where not only are drivers speeding because they are late, but making U turns as they try to find parking.

Flatley added that stop signs have been effective.

Lowering the speed limit is not going to change the behavior of those speeding, Chatty Allen said, adding that it's not just cars, but cyclists, who pose problems.

Eric Elkin said he and his wife Bridget, owners of the Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast, had a petition urging for the lowering of the speed limit and agreeing enforcement is also key.

Route 25, he said, spans 1.3 miles, and reducing the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph would mean less than 30 seconds in added travel time.

"We believe the safety would be worth it," he said, a preventative step.

He offered statistics that said that indicated reducing the speed limit would double a pedestrian's chance of survival, should they be hit by a vehicle.

Perception and reaction time would also be enhanced, he said, adding that the statistics were science based, not site specific.

Also, Elkin said, "Greenport is a walking village. That's a great part of its charm, something we should preserve and encourage."

Hubbard said South Fork villages, with the help of Assemblyman Fred Thiele, are petitioning New York State to lower their speed limits, and the village could mirror those efforts.

Bridget Elkin agreed radar signs like the one near the Mattituck school would help improve awareness; national statistics indicate 80% of motorists slow down when seeing one and 60% become compliant, she said. The signs cost approximately between $1,500 and $2,500 and could make a huge difference, she said.

"Five miles per hour doubles a pedestrian's chance of survival. Are we going to wait until someone's dead to change the speed limit?" she asked.

Rachel Bosworth also advocated the change, as did Richard Vandenburgh, who wrote a letter from the Greenport Business Improvement District in his capacity as president.

The board left the hearing open.

Patch courtesy photo.