Maybrook residents complain of speeders

By Audeen Moore
Posted 11/30/22

A small contingent of Clark Place/Logan’s Way residents attended a recent Maybrook Village board meeting to push for quicker progress at slowing up traffic on Clark Place. They complained of …

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Maybrook residents complain of speeders

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A small contingent of Clark Place/Logan’s Way residents attended a recent Maybrook Village board meeting to push for quicker progress at slowing up traffic on Clark Place. They complained of tractor trailer traffic, currently banned on village streets, and of speeding box trucks and other vehicular traffic.

The village board first began working on the speeding problem about two months ago when residents first complained. Maybrook Police Chief Arnold “Butch” Amthor borrowed a traffic count/speed device from Montgomery and surveyed the street. He later reported that speed problems on Clark Place are indeed serious. The roadway in the village has a posted speed of 25 miles per hour (mph). The recording device showed more than 40 percent of vehicles traveling at 40 mph or more on the road. One vehicle’s speed was recorded at an “astonishing” 78 mph. The board, as well as residents, noted there are several school bus stops on the street and all feared for the children’s safety.

At that time, the board unanimously supported installation of speed bumps there, but asked for additional studies of cost and specifications. Mayor Dennis Leahy joined with Trustee Daryl Capozzoli at the recent meeting to outline steps the village has taken since to remedy the problem.

“This board is extremely concerned but things take time,” Capozzoli said. “We’re trying to remedy the problem and have already started the process.”

Leahy pointed out that, after Amthor’s initial findings, the village had hired a consultant to research details on installing speed “humps” similar to those installed at the village park drive-through. He said he has spoken to FedEx officials at its Neelytown Road facility to caution those drivers to obey the speed limit on Clark and directed the village Police Dept. to station patrol cars on the street when not on other calls. The village only recently installed a flashing speed sign there. A second one is scheduled to be installed soon. The existing sign shows motorists their speed, which Amthor said, generally does work to slow traffic down. It is on the “downhill” side of Clark Place and, Mayor Leahy said, “is working great”.

Both steps, Amthor said, will help but police cannot be on Clark 24 hours a day, and flashing speed signs usually work to slow traffic only briefly.

As for installation of the speed humps, Leahy said that must wait until spring because of winter weather restrictions. He added that he will talk to Valley Central School District officials to obtain school bus stop signs that the village will install.