Category Archives: Central Ave.

by Lorenz M. Worden | January 21, 2024 · 4:09 pm

Central Avenue Fatalities Since 2000

12/20/23

(Map coordinates in parentheses.)

The NHTSA FARS system is not yet available for incidents after 2020. Later data are from the Albany Times Union (TU).

2001

August 20, 2001– Lajuan Jordan, 24, of Central Avenue, passenger in an SUV was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Central Avenue at Lansing Road, Colonie. (42.76066389 – 73.88201944)

November 26, 2001– Pedestrian Clark A. Gorrow, 37of Rugby Road, Schenectady was killed by a car while crossing Central Avenue at Lombard Street, Colonie. Police said “pedestrian error’ appeared to be the cause of the incident. (42.75857778 – 73.87948889)

2002

March 14, 2002– Pedestrian Robert Bryan, 34, a resident at the Blue Bell Motel on Central Avenue, was killed by a pickup truck making a left turn as he apparently tried to cross the four-lane highway to the Colonie Kmart. There was no marked crosswalk at the intersection. (42.74050833 – 73.8588)

2003

February 14, 2003 – Lisa Keene, 40-year-old mother,who was out celebrating her younger sister’s impending Valentine’s Day wedding was killed as she stood in a pedestrian crosswalk between Lexington Avenue and Robin Street on Central Avenue, Albany when an unlicensed cab driver lost control of his taxi struck and dragged her about 200 feet. (42.6601 – 73.76721111).

September 19, 2003 – An unidentified pedestrian killed on Central Avenue near Tull Drive, Colonie. (42.71811389 – 73.83335556)

October 18, 2003 – Pedestrian Todd Throneburg, 28, of 2194 Central Avenue was killed by a motor vehicle. He had apparently been lying partially in the eastbound lane near Elmwood Avenue, Colonie when struck. (42.76006944 – 73.88135833)

October 26, 2003 – There was an Unidentified fatality of a motor vehicle crash on Central Avenue, Colonie near Tull Drive. (42.71808889 – 73.83333056)

2004

March 9, 2004 – Cyclist Mary Morgan, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 1:30 PM crash after being struck by a motor vehicle at the Central Avenue intersection with Berwyn Street, Colonie. (42.76193056 – 73.88344722)

April 12, 2004 – A pickup truck struck and killed Frank Tymula, 45, while he was crossing Central Avenue near Karner Road, Colonie. Because of the recent deaths, Colonie Police Chief said that officials are considering some kind of safety awareness campaign aimed at adults. “We do it for kids. We tell kids to look both ways. These are not kids. This gentleman was 45 years old,” said the chief. (42.72978333 – 73.84683889)

June 13, 2004– Unidentified man crossing Central Avenue at night at the intersection with Frederick Avenue, Colonie was killed after a passing car struck him. (42.69671944 – 73.809025)

July 4, 2004 – Vincent Pagano Jr., 24, perished after crashing his ATV into a car on Central Avenue by Manning Blvd, Albany.

2005

February 28, 2005 – Bassist Edward Wells, 38, of Lynn Street, Schenectady and the Band Seed, perished after he was partially ejected from his vehicle after it collided with another and rolled onto its side at the Central Avenue and VanHuesen Street intersection, Colonie

2006

March 19, 2006 – Randy Russell died instantly in a car crash at Henry Johnson Blvd and Central Avenue, Albany after a state trooper chase. An autopsy demonstrated a blood alcohol content over twice the legal limit.

September 8, 2006 – Pedestrian Tomas A. Aguirre of Watervliet was killed by a car just as he stepped from the curb crossing Central Avenue at Reber Street, Colonie

August 22, 2006 – Pedestrian Roxanne Chaney, 40 was chatting with her neighbors at the Best Value Inn, including a man who was showing pictures of his wife, who had been struck and killed by a car. “Roxanne says, `Man, that’s a horrible way to go,’ ” a neighbor recalled. Chaney, 40, then stepped out into a dark section of the road and was hit herself, becoming the ninth person killed on Central Avenue,Colonie in 10 years, the fourth on a section west of Route 155 alone, according to police. The nearest crosswalks – a mile apart – are 8- and 10-minute-walks away on a stretch of road that is easily becoming one of the deadliest for pedestrians in the region. (42.73789167 -73.85600278)

2009

January 19, 2009– Westley H. Williams, 61, perished after he was hit by a car on the road’s median, apparently trying to cross the busy stretch near Reynolds Street, Colonie. (42.69191389 -73.80361944)

April 7, 2009 – Segundo G. Zamora, 32, from Ecuador died from his injuries after being struck by a vehicle in front of Appletini’s Café, Colonie. (42.69016389 – 73.80158056)

2010

December 18, 2010 – Rebecca Murton, 22, 8 months pregnant with her third child, died as a passenger in a motor vehicle that crashed into a utility pole on Central Avenue at Mountain View Avenue, Colonie.

2011

November 21, 2011 – Pedestrian Kerry Irwin, 63 of Delmar was struck by a motor vehicle just east of Reber Street, Colonie and later died from his injuries. Police said the driver was not likely to face charges, as Irwin was wearing dark clothing and was not crossing the road at a crosswalk. (42.73415833 – 73.85171944)

September 5, 2011 – Pedestrian John Gesner, 57, of Ravena, who was staying at the Super 8 Motel, was struck by a car while crossing Central Avenue near Lincoln Avenue, Colonie around 11:10 pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene. (42.71605556 – 73.83104444)

May 12, 2011 – David L. Cook, 33of Middle Grovewas riding a Harley Davidson he had just purchased off the lot at Spitzie’s Motorcycle Center on Central Avenue by Campbell Drive, Colonie when his bike veered out of control and across traffic and collided with a truck. (42.74072778 -73.85929444)

2012

May 21, 2012 – Pedestrian Randall Hayes, 57, a resident of the Blue Bell Hotel in Colonie was struck by a vehicle in a hit and run crash at 9:05 pm in the eastbound lane of Central Avenue in front of a Burger King, just west of the intersection with New Karner Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Colonie Police Officer Pero said it was highly unlikely that whoever struck the victim was not aware he hit someone. “It was not a glancing blow,” Pero said. (142.73313056 – 73.850475)

2013

February 21, 2013 – Katherine Parker, 28,of Albany died from injuries after being struck by a minivan while she was crossing Central Avenue at King Avenue just East of the (now closed) ShopRite, Albany. During a vigil for Parker, another pedestrian was hurt just two streets up from Thursday’s crash, police said.

March 2, 2013 – William Jennings, 28,of Schenectady, was killed instantly by an eastbound U.S. Postal Service tractor-trailer around 3:30 AM Saturday on Central Avenue near Lombard Street, Colonie.

2014

July 3, 2014 – Pedestrian Kyle Canabush, 29, was crossing Central Avenue at about 8:50 PM, near Kraft Avenue, Colonie when a motor vehicle struck him. He died later from his injuries.

2015

February 2, 2015 – A pedestrian, 4-year-old Ashiqur Rahman was struck and killed by a waste truck in a Central Avenue crosswalk at Quail Street, Albany while holding his mother’s hand. Mother and son had a green light to cross, police said.

March 3, 2015 – An unidentified pedestrian was killed on Central Avenue and Wilber Avenue, Colonie.

April 13, 2015 – Pedestrian Renee Bruneau, a 54-year-old mother was killed by a hit-and-run driver between Madison and Hudson Avenues, Albany in front of Ralph’s Restaurant

September 19, 2015 – An unidentified motor vehicle fatality involving drunk driving at Central Avenue and Grounds Place, Colonie

December 6, 2015 – There was an unidentified pedestrian fatality at Central Avenue and Osborne Road, Colonie.

2016

May 24, 2016 – Pedestrian, Borziloke Zakolli, 62 of Colonie was struck and killed on impact crossing Central Avenuebetween Tull Drive and Breeman Street, Colonie. “Safety is our top priority there, and we’ve done a lot of work and studying on Central Avenue,” New York State Department of Transportation spokesman Bryan Viggiani said Tuesday, pointing to a Central Avenue Pedestrian Safety Study examining human behaviors and the road’s infrastructure. After publication of the safety study, the state allocated $2 million for road improvements, with 60 percent designated for Albany and Schenectady. The department’s goal, Viggiani said, is for both drivers and pedestrians to understand the rules of the road. (42.71744722 – 73.83268889)

July 17, 2016 – Akbar Perkins, 17 died after a police pursuit, crashing a stolen van into a utility pole on Central Avenue just west of Route 155, Colonie. (42.73301944 – 73.85040833 )

Jun 2, 2016– There was an unidentified pedestrian fatalitynear the confluence of Central Avenue and Washington Avenue, Albany. (42.6573 -73.763975)

2017

March 16, 2017 – Jajuan L. Williams, 21, died on impact after the car he was driving crashed into a snowbank, became airborne, and hit a utility pole on Central Avenue near Arrow Street, Colonie. (42.76134444 – 73.88262778)

July 3, 2017 – An unidentified pedestrian, a 54 year old woman, died after a pickup truck struck her as she crossed Central Avenue near Vly Road, Colonie.

October 18, 2017 – Pedestrian Garry F. Cognetti, 67died from his injuries after being hit by a car on State Street, Niskayuna east of Mansion Boulevard where Central Avenue becomes State Street as it enters Niskayuna. (42.77281111 – 73.89543611)

2018

December 22, 2018 – An unidentified 78-year-old Schenectady woman died after what witnesses say was a possible medical incident that led to her crashing her car into a tree on Central Avenue between New Karner Road and Reber Street, Colonie.

February 15, 2018 – An unidentified person died in a head-on motor vehicle collision on Central Avenue by Interstate Avenue, Colonie

2019

December 25, 2019 – Vehicle passenger Lakhraj Premnauth perished after a crashon Central Avenue by Evergreen Memorial Park, Colonie. The sedan they were in slammed into a utility pole with such force that it snapped the car in two. (42.757225 – 42.757225)

2020

September 6, 2020 – An unidentified motorcyclist died at the scene after crashing into a car near the intersection of Central Avenue and Old Karner Road, Colonie

July 17, 2020 – Driver Naquain Key, 35, and his passenger, Najee Parks, 31, died in a high-speed crash on Central Avenue near Lombard Street, Colonie.

2021

April 15, 2021 – Pedestrian Sa’Nya Blaylock, 16, died when a motor vehicle struck her as she was crossing to the bus stop after her shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1235 Central Avenue, at Frederick Avenue, Colonie.

August 20, 2021 – Christopher Welter, 36,of Medford, MA, died at the scene after his vehicle ran into the back of a tractor trailer that was stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Central Avenue and Jupiter Lane, Colonie.

September 21, 2021 – Cyclist Jeremy Williams, 39was killed when he was struck by a motor vehicle on Central Avenue, Colonie, near the entrance ramp to southbound I-87.

2022

January 25, 2022 – Pedestrian David Madden, 31, was crossing the street in front of Dollar General, 1935 Central Avenue at Reber Street, Colonie just before 8 PM when a sedan struck him resulting in major trauma. His fate is unknown.

February 16, 2022 – An out-of-control car crashed through several telephone poles on Central Avenue near Lansing Road, Colonie. The unidentified Brooklyn man was in grave condition. His fate is unknown.

July 7, 2022 – Albany police identified Kathleen McBride, 52, of Albany as the pedestrian who was struck and killed by a drunken driver at 10:15 PM on Central Avenue at Robin Street, Albany. Police said officers responded to reports of a serious motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival, officers determined that a pedestrian had been struck by a van that then crashed into a building. McBride sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Driver Jose Guaman-Bunay faces 6 to 18 years in prison.

August 22, 2022 – Stacy Benoit, 40, of Albany was hit around 8:35 PM. Witnesses said she was walking in the center turn lane near Fairfield Avenue. Colonie. Police said the driver was traveling west and the woman was walking east. The driver who hit her stopped and was not impaired, officers said. (TU online 8/23/22)

2023

November 11, 2023 – David Herskind, 49, died at the scene of the 11:55 PM, crash near the intersection with Fuller Road. A Ford F-150 was driving westbound on Central Avenue when it hit the pedestrian, said Colonie Police. The driver immediately stopped and called 911. Colonie EMS arrived shortly after, but the victim died at the scene. Police say speed or driver impairment do not appear to be factors in the crash. The pedestrian was in the vehicle lane of travel at the time of the crash.

November 22, 2023 – A 33-year-old motor vehicle driver struck and killed pedestrian Mark Schimmer, 67 at 6:03 PM on Central Avenue at Mountain View Avenue, Colonie. Police said the pedestrian was pushing a shopping cart, was in dark clothing, and not near a crosswalk or traffic signal at the time. Rain and snow may have made visibility poor. The driver maintained that she did not see the pedestrian until after the collision. Police held that speeding and intoxication were not involved and there were no charges made.

November 27, 2023 – Joseph Crandall, 62, was the third person to die after being struck by a car on Central Avenue in the town since November 11. Police said Crandall was riding his bike at 11:30 in the morning near Elmwood Avenue when the truck struck the back of his bicycle. Crandall was knocked off his bicycle and the truck driver, a 55-year-old Glenville man, stopped to call 911, police said. People passing by also tried to help Crandall, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the driver was not impaired and that Crandall was wearing reflective clothing but was not wearing a helmet.” (TU 11/28/23, B2)

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Filed under Central Ave., City Review, Death on the Road, safety

by Lorenz M. Worden | November 24, 2023 · 12:23 pm

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Introduction – On Friday November 17, 2023,the Albany Bicycle Coalition, Walkable Albany, and Capital Streets, held a demonstration for Albany City Victims of Traffic Violence as part of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Elected leaders and city officials gathered with us along with people around the world to remember those needlessly killed and seriously injured in crashes. We called for specific actions by the City of Albany to respond to the needless deaths of at least 19 people on bicycles or walking in the city between 2013 and 2023.

Presentation – We thanked the following for joining us in support of the event: NY Assembly Member Pat Fahy, Albany Police Department Chief Eric Hawkins, Mayor Sheehan’s Chief of Staff, David Galin, Albany City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar, and Albany County Legislator Susan Quine-Laurilliard.

Prepared Remarks by Ed Brennan, ABC President – In a few minutes, those who have gathered here will read the names of pedestrians and cyclists who died from traffic violence in our city. Sometimes we may know a pedestrian or cyclist died from a crash at a location, but we don’t know their names. I suspect some of these people may have hung on for a while in a hospital before they passed. They may have outlasted the news cycle, so their names were never reported. All we have – without FOILing their records – is statistical information such as that found in the Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System and in local media. Try to remember that these were actual people – with families that lost them – and not just statistics. We have seen at least 49 traffic violence deaths on Central Avenue since the start of 2001, including David Herskind just 6 days ago.

Sa’Nya Blaylock, died on Central Avenue, Thursday April 15, 2021, around 10:30pm. She was an Albany resident and Albany High student, Unlike the other victims, we recognize Sa’Nya wasn’t killed in Albany, but she was killed on Central Avenue – the deadliest stretch of road in the Capital Region. A road that Albany shares with the Town of Colonie.

Sa’Nya had gotten off her late shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken, crossed Central Avenue to catch her bus, and was struck and killed by a motor vehicle.

Maybe she was tired after a long day at school and night’s work at KFC.
Maybe she was in a hurry to get home and do homework.
Maybe she was in a hurry to get off work and get back to being a teenager.
Maybe she thought the vehicle coming was her bus and she didn’t want to miss it.
We don’t know if she made a mistake in the way she crossed the street or not, but if she made a mistake, she didn’t deserve a death sentence.

Central Avenue was the subject of an extensive 18-month road corridor safety study published in 2015 that came back with what they call a “Three E’s” Approach: Education, Enforcement and Engineering

“Safety is our top priority there, and we’ve done a lot of work and studying on Central Avenue,” said the state DOT spokesperson. “The department’s goal,” he said, “is for both drivers and pedestrians to understand the rules of the road.”

New York State Department of Transportation did a number of things, including $2M in improvements such as better crossing signals – but they would not lower the speed limit or change the road in any way to encourage drivers to slow down.

Since the beginning of 2016 we figure another 19 people have died on Central Avenue.

Looking at state statistics and comparing 2019 before COVID with 2022 in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties, we have seen fewer collisions in each county – but more fatalities with those fewer collisions and more serious injuries with those fewer collisions.

How does that happen?

There are two primary factors that determine how violent a crash is – mass and velocity. Since 2019, both these factors have gone in the wrong direction.

We all know that speeding has increased.

Every year our vehicles have also gotten bigger. Earlier this year the three highest selling new motor vehicles were the Ford F-Series Truck, the Chevy Silverado, and the Dodge Ram. Massive vehicles that will do more damage in a collision.

Our newer, more massive trucks and SUVs are also built higher so they are more dangerous – especially to pedestrians. What used to be a lower body injury, like a broken leg or pelvis, is now an upper body injury to one’s organs or for shorter people, like children, there are often more devastating head injuries.

The city cannot do much about the size of vehicles, but the city can lower speeds to make collisions less devastating and less likely.

We see laudable efforts to get alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers off the road. But we need to understand that speeders are also impaired drivers.

The speeder impairs their ability to stop their vehicle within the distance necessary to avoid a collision.
The speeder impairs their ability to react to a potential collision by giving themselves less time.
The speeder also impairs their ability to recognize a potential collision. There are limits to how much visual information we can process in a given space of time. The faster the speed, the more to process and the narrower speeder’s effective field of vision becomes. This problem is worse in dense urban environments where there is so much more to watch out for.

As we remember these people that have died and suffered serious injuries from traffic violence, we ask that the city honor them by doing three things that make it less likely that more people and their families face such loss and suffering.

Lower the city speed limit on all non-limited access roads to 25 miles per hour to make crashes less likely and less devastating.
Install speed cameras in our school zones to protect our young people using the law that our State Assembly Member Pat Fahy and State Senator Neil Breslin fought to pass.
Carry out the recommendations of the Washington Park Study. Make this Historic City Jewel a park for the safe enjoyment of the people of Albany and not a high-speed parkway for cars.

Ten Years of Traffic Victims in Albany (2013 – 2023 as of November 14, 2023) – The Albany Bicycle Coalition developed this list based on local media reports, Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and other sources. At this point in the demonstration, 19 volunteers stepped up one at a time to the microphone and read the essentials of each victim’s demise.

Unidentified Pedestrian – 11/8/23 (age 67) Two cars hit and killed the victim near Exit 2 on southbound I-787 in Albany. The man was struck by one car as the vehicle tried to merge into traffic at 7:16 PM. State Police said the driver was initially unaware the vehicle had hit someone. The man was then struck by a second vehicle and died at the scene.
Larry Cunningham – 10/24/22 (age 62) A drunken car driver struck and killed pedestrian on a sidewalk near the intersection of 3rd Ave. and Elizabeth St. Albany. Driver Jose Guevara-Bonilla, a 26-year-old city man was charged with aggravated drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident and other offences. Police issued several tickets and said more charges are possible.
Pernell Compston – 10/6/22 (no age) Compston was hit by a SUV and a pickup truck just after 10 pm when he was crossing the street near the intersection of Northern Blvd. and Shaker Rd., Albany.
Tanisha Brathwaite – 7/14/22 (age 31) Drunk driver killed pedestrian. Hit-and-run driver struck and killed pedestrian at 6:00 PM on Clinton Ave. at the intersection with Henry Johnson Blvd., Albany. Driver sentenced to 8 to 24 years for aggravated vehicular homicide and several DWI counts.
Kathleen McBride – 7/7/22 (age 52) Van struck and killed a pedestrian on Central Ave.
Unidentified Pedestrian – 5/21 (no age) Per the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository, there was a pedestrian death in Albany during this month. Could not find report in the local newspaper.
Unidentified Pedestrian – 3/21 (no age) Per the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository, there was a pedestrian death in Albany during this month. Could not find local newspaper report.
Unidentified Pedestrian – 9/24/20 (no age) A pedestrian was killed in a collision between 7 and 8 PM on Church St. Albany. This was not at an intersection, there was no drunk driving involved, and the weather was clear but dark.
Richard Harmon – 5/21/20 (age 76) Pedestrian hit and killed at North Allen St. and Manning Blvd. [Times Union, Saturday, 5/23/20, pg. D3]
Unidentified Pedestrian – 9/24/19 (age 50) A car driver going west on Washington Ave. Extension hit and killed a male pedestrian who apparently tried to cross the street in the evening. [Times Union, 9/26/19, Section: Obituaries, pg. C5]
Unidentified Pedestrian – 8/8/19 (age 67) Truck hit and seriously injured a male pedestrian, intersection of Madison Ave. and Dove St. around 1 PM. After being treated at the scene, the man was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital by ambulance. His condition was not immediately available. [Times Union Friday, 8/9/19, pg. C4. Apparently this individual later died as the Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) lists this a pedestrian death.]
Ludmilla Vink – 2/20/18 (age 92) Pedestrian, was identified as the victim in the fatal car-pedestrian crash on Washington Ave., Albany. [Times Union Thursday, February 22, 2018, pg. C2]
Roger L. Sawyer – 10/19/17 (age 30) Bicyclist run down and killed by a SUV, Washington Ave. Ext., Albany.
Edston J. Kirnon – 7/22/17 (age 42) Bicyclist collided with side of CDTA bus, N. Pearl St., Albany.
Rajine Martinez 2/4/17 (age 21) Killed by hit-and-run SUV driver, Washington Park Rd. near New Scotland Ave., Albany
Gregory Abram-Skinner – 12/23/16 (age 21) At 7:00-8:00 PM on Washington Ave. Ext. at Springsteen Ave., Albany, a drunk driver struck and killed the pedestrian.
Ashiqur Rahman – 12/2015 (age 4) The driver of a refuse truck struck and killed the victim at 8:00-9:00 AM on Central Ave. at Quail St., Albany as he was crossing in the crosswalk, holding his mother’s hand, and walking with the pedestrian “walk” light.
Qazir Sutherland – 6/15/13 (age 7) The car diver, 37, of Albany, was traveling north in her sedan on S. Pearl, Albany when she struck and killed the victim as he was crossing the street to meet his mother. The driver was not charged.
Katherine Parker – 2/21/13 (age 28) At 10:22 PM a minivan driver heading west struck and killed the victim on Central Ave. at King Ave., Albany. The victim was walking north to cross Central Ave.

Media Presence – The Albany Bicycle Coalition was grateful for coverage of the event by the following media outlets:

Filed under 25 MPH, Activisim, Central Ave., City Review, NYS DOT, safety, Support the Cause

by Lorenz M. Worden | October 5, 2022 · 11:48 am

Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing on Complete Streets

Albany Bicycle Coalition joined many other Safe Streets Coalition members at today’s [10/3/22] NYS Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing on Complete Streets. Under consideration were two bills not passed last session that would expand the types of road projects that are given Complete Streets consideration.

I spoke with respect to Assembly Member Rivera’s bill. That bill includes, when possible, Complete Sstreet design features in resurfacing, maintenance, and pavement recycling projects and further enable safe access to public roads for all users. My comments to the Committee appear below.

The second bill considered at the hearing (Barret/A08624) will expand the state’s current complete street design principles policy to include all state, county and local transportation projects that are undertaken by the DOT or receive federal, state or both federal and state funding. Meanwhile, our local Assembly Member Pat Fahy has a bill (A8936/S3897) for additional state funding for Complete Streets that was passed by both the Assembly and the Senate but is not yet signed by Governor Hochul. Assembly Transportation Chair Magnarelli expressed his hope that it will be signed soon. We ask that all our readers contact the Governor’s Office encouraging her to sign that bill (call: 518-474-8390).

There were several other local participants. Our friend Patty Sawyer was among the mothers of victims of traffic violence who attended. Guilderland Town Planner, Kenneth Kovalchik spoke to barriers thrown up to Complete Streets efforts in Guilderland/Crossgates projects and the Delaware Avenue Road Diet Project. Ken Grey, Chair of the Complete Streets Advisory Board in Saratoga Springs spoke to efforts there and in favor of the bills. Jeff Olson, a local e-charging entrepreneur with long experience in transportation spoke in favor of the bills and the need to avoid letting the mania for EV’s turn our roads into havens for killer EV monster trucks. NY Bicycle Coalition Board Member and Albany resident Rosanna Coto-Batras also spoke eloquently of the need for the bills.

If the bills get out of committee, I expect there will be some changes. The unfounded fear is that nobody will be able to fill a pothole without a Complete Streets study.

Regards,

Ed Brennan

President, Albany Bicycle Coalition

389 McCormack Road

Albany, NY 12208

I am Edward Brennan. I am a resident of the City of Albany. In March of this year our Common Council voted unanimously in support of the passage of these Complete Streets bills as contained in the Crash Victims Rights and Safety Act package. I am also President of the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Our not-for-profit organization has been promoting bicycling and bicycle and pedestrian safety in the Capital Region since 2004.

Every year we hold a local Ride of Silence along with organizations throughout the world remembering cyclists that perished on public roads. Last year we began our ride with a service remembering over 40 cyclists, pedestrians and motorists that have died since the year 2000 on nearby Central Avenue that connects Albany and Schenectady.

Central Avenue is something of a poster child for the need for Complete Streets in the Capital Region. After so many deaths NYSDOT conducted a Central Avenue Pedestrian Safety Study that was published in 2015. Some changes were implemented but deaths have continued. I don’t doubt that it will take significant changes and probably large expenditures to make Central Avenue significantly safer.

My testimony however relates to Rapp Road, which is a road that many could use to avoid Central Avenue to get between the Town of Colonie and Albany and between Guilderland and Colonie. Making Rapp Road significantly safer would have been much less of an effort than fixing Central Avenue.Rapp Road becomes Lincoln Avenue in Colonie where it intersects with Central Avenue to the North.Rapp Road leads to Crossgates Mall, an important shopping center to the South.Rapp Road goes through the Albany Pine Bush, a unique ecological area that has hiking paths connecting to both sides of Rapp Road and hikers can often be seen along Rapp Road going from one footpath to another.Rapp Road overpasses the NYS Thruway/Interstate 90 with a wide shoulder that is relatively safe for cyclists and pedestriansRapp Road is an endpoint for the Six Mile Waterworks Multiuse Path that allows cyclists and pedestrians to safely go under The Northway/Interstate 87

Safe places for cyclists and pedestrians to cross Interstates deserve special mention because they are so few and far between and require significant capital expenditures.

One of the 40 plus persons we commemorated at our last ride of silence was 39-year-old Jeremy Williams who was struck and killed on Central Avenue while trying to cycle through the Central Avenue Interchange with the Northway. Making safe bike-ped crossings of Interstates isn’t cheap. Where such safe crossings have been created you would think there would be reasonable efforts made to make them more useful.

The problem with this particular 0.6-mile segment of Rapp Road is that it gets a great deal of traffic and has a windy section with little or no shoulder. Years ago, we saw Rapp Road was long overdue for some kind of major repair. We wrote to our Mayor, sent many e-mails, spoke to local transportation officials and distributed a pamphlet we made about the need to improve safety along this short stretch of Rapp Road.

We were surprised one day to find a project started. The road was milled down and quickly repaved. We had no warning or chance for input though we had made ourselves pests about the road for years. There was no meaningful change to the shoulder. Now motor vehicles have a fresh smooth surface facilitating higher speeds which are perhaps more dangerous to other users. Unless someone dies here, I doubt the road will be looked at again for the next 20 years.

We need to expand Complete Streets considerations to projects like Rapp Road so we are not missing so many important opportunities to improve transportation safety. Maintenance, Resurfacing, and Pavement Recycling Projects that extend the life of roadways make economic sense. A Complete Streets perspective is still essential to make sure that extending the life of a roadway isn’t unnecessarily extending existing dangers to the lives of those that use those roadways.

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Filed under Activisim, Central Ave., safety

Tagged as complete streets

by Lorenz M. Worden | May 19, 2022 · 2:53 pm