In August 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to allow cities in New York to lower their speed limit to 25 mph, and Hudson is now pursuing that. Part of the process is having an engineer do a speed limit evaluation, and earlier this week, the Common Council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with Creighton Manning Engineering to do the evaluation. The study will cost $7,500.
Councilmember Margaret Morris (First Ward), who is shepherding this initiative through the process, told her colleagues that studies she has looked at indicate that reducing the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph results in close to a 50 percent reduction in traffic fatalities, significant decreases in collisions and accidents, because there is sufficient stopping time, and reduces the stopping time for trucks and larger vehicles. When Councilmember Gary Purnhagen (First Ward) asked what the likelihood was Hudson's request to lower the speed limit would be rejected by the state, Morris responded, "Very close to zero."
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Seems to me a perfect example of how government wastes taxpayer dollars. Every time you turn around another bunch of thousands are paid to some engineer, architect or consultant for some inane study. How much was spent for a landscape architect to say how to plant some trees and make a parking spot and a basketball court down at Charles Williams, how much do we have to pay for experts to say how to take a rotten shack to the dump and now why must we must pay $7500 to an engineering firm to say how to lower the speed limit from 30 to 25mph? This is how you do it. Make some new 25mph signs and replace the ones that say 30mph. Can you now write me a check for $7500?
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to ask the police chief if she anticipated that a lower speed limit might change her officer's approach to enforcing the speed limit downtown where historically there has been zero enforcement. As in beginning to enforce the speed limit, even on Union Street near the police station.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Union Street, especially Upper Union Street is rarely enforced. Cars roar up and down the street all day long. Since I walk most of the time, when crossing I feel like holding a large paddle that says '25' and waving it at most cars coming and going. That said, there are careful people who pay attention and even stop for me crossing. (I use a cane). Bring on the 25mph limit in the whole City.
DeleteThe Glenwood 25 limit appears to be completely unpatrolled and unenforced
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see a study to determine the survival rate of how many people hit by a car going 25 m.p.h. versus a car going at 30 m.p.h. After that we should look for a consultant to determine how many people ignore the 30 m.p.h. signs versus how many people ignore the 25 m.p.h. signs. This could be VERY lucrative for somebody!
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Delete"Vehicle speed at the time of impact is directly correlated to whether a person will live or die. A person hit by a car traveling at 35 miles per hour is five times more likely to die than a person hit by a car traveling at 20 miles per hour. The risk of death at every speed is higher for older pedestrians and pedestrians hit by trucks and other large vehicles."
https://nacto.org/publication/city-limits/the-need/speed-kills/
This is quoted from a paper published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Note the words "even absent enforcement."
ReplyDeleteA growing body of research shows that speed limit changes alone can lead to measurable declines in speeds and crashes, even absent enforcement or engineering changes. For example, a 2017 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study in Boston found that just reducing the citywide speed limit to 25 mph from 30 mph reduced speeding overall and dramatically decreased the instances of high-end speeding (vehicles traveling faster than 35 mph).
https://nacto.org/publication/city-limits/the-need/speed-limit-changes-have-big-impacts/
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ReplyDeleteThe wasteful traffic study is a requirement by the state to reduce the limit. Not the council's fault, but still, seems ridiculous when you can look up the stats from various studies on this subject. I also agree with the lower limit, but will be pointless without enforcement. Cars blast by the police station on Union. Hell, they go just as fast down the alleys.
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ReplyDeleteJohn Doe, the sidewalks are the property owner's responsibility. Research the city codes.
DeleteThere is more than a speed limit problem in Hudson. There are quite a few tourists that need to pay attention to where they are going or plan to go. Traveling the wrong way down one-way streets, treating redlights and stop signs as an option and so on.
ReplyDeleteI am reposting John Friedman's comment, minus the parenthetical statement which I'm told was inaccurate and unnecessarily hurtful to the people involved:
ReplyDeletefascinating discussion regarding what seems to be a largely academic situation: when was the last time anyone was hit by a car in Hudson let alone died from the impact? I've lived here just about 16 years and can't remember a single instance.
This is BILL's response to the above comment:
DeleteJohn - I am not aware of any pedestrians being killed by vehicles in downtown Hudson, either, but that's beside the point. It's frightening out there for pedestrians and cyclists, and I and others I know who walk a lot have had no shortage of close calls with getting hit in or run over. It's just a matter of time before someone is run over. Last Friday, I was very close to being run over by a driver who had no plan to stop at a stop sign with me in the intersection and the right of way. The driver slammed on her brakes at the last moment as I ran for my life. And on the night of Winter Walk a woman and her child were knocked to the ground by a car one block away at 7th and State, somehow no hospital visit needed. State Street is now the State Street Speedway and it is only getting worse.
I also haven't heard of any drivers being killed in any accidents downtown recently, but that doesn't mean we should ignore the reality of Hudson's streets: The city is not doing enough to prevent speeding vehicles or preventable crashes. For the good of humanity and the planet, we all need to be driving less (fewer short trips, especially) and driving slower. And walking and biking more!
The City does nothing about anything - why should traffic control be different? But, more to the point, in such an environment what is the point of lowering the speed limit? You’re citing instances of dangerous driving but none connected with excessive speed. And if the HPD isn’t enforcing one traffic law why do you believe they will enforce another? Or why a driver ignoring one law suddenly begin obeying another? By sysrematically not enforcing the existing laws, law enforcement breeds contempt for all laws. By tightening unenforced laws further, legislatures feed into the decline of respect.
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ReplyDeleteOr start with a pair of NO TURN ON RED signs at 6th & Columbia. Last year, after complaints/requests from the council, the city finally put a NO TURN ON RED sign at 4th & Columbia to prevent more accidents as a result of drivers turning right on red off of 4th with limited visibility of oncoming eastbound traffic, including plenty of enormous trucks. Duh! This should have been done years ago and without request.
DeleteThe same exact poor visibility issue exists (corner building blocking view to the west) two blocks away at another intersection full of accidents along the truck route. Double duh! Of course, if DPW installs a no turn on red sign or two, they may be forced to install some stop lines there, too! Oh, heavens! No can do!
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