Displaying items by tag: Wilton, speeders, Kirk Woodcock, Steve Streicher, Bryan Viggiani, Andrew Cuomo
Leaders See Too Many Speeders in Wilton
WILTON – Councilman Steve Streicher closed the town board’s November meeting by voicing his concerns about speedy drivers in Wilton’s residential areas.
“It happens all the time. I’m just worried that someone’s going to get hit by a car,” the father of two said. Streicher added that he is often disturbed enough by aggressive drivers to “chase them down,” even though he refrains from actually doing so.
The Wilton Town Board proceeded to briefly discuss lowering speed limits on town roads, much like officials in Malta are planning to do at present.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signed a state law enabling Malta to lower speed limits, but the process still requires complicated traffic studies at the town level.
Bryan Viggiani, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said Wilton officials could lower speed limits on town roads only if they find “a legislative sponsor” in the same manner as Malta officials and secure passage of a separate state law.
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office handles traffic law enforcement in Wilton, which does not have its own police force. A request for comment specific to the town was not returned by the sheriff’s office.
At the Nov. 9 meeting, Wilton Highway Superintendent Kirklin Woodcock expressed his concern to the town board that there are “entrapment” issues related to reducing speed limits in residential areas.
“A lot of these residents get misconceptions with what the town of Malta is doing,” Woodcock said, when contacted for comment this week. He argued that reducing a speed limit from 45 to 30 m.p.h. can be “confusing to the motorist.”
Woodcock said he has observed many speeders, in particular, on Waller and Worth Roads. But not “every road in the town” is affected by serious problems, he added.
“My work crews are exposed every day, and it’s getting worse, not better,” Woodcock said. “They’ll blow your pants-leg right off.”
If even one “flagman” gets injured or killed by the actions of speeders, according to Woodcock, that is one too many.
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