Sane Speed for Mt. Rutsen Road

Pat Coon spoke quite effectively and passionately at a recent meeting of the Rhinebeck Town Board asking for speeds to be lowered on her road-- Mt. Rutsen Road.

Please read below the letter she sent to the Rhinebeck Town Board and County Legislator Joel Tyner, and the February 4th Poughkeepsie Journal article on this as well.

Contact town officials below on this as well if you agree:

[information from town website: RhinebeckNY.org ]

Dennis McGuire - Supervisor - Phone: 845-876-4969
Paul Niedercorn - Councilman - Phone: 845-876-2436
Linda Souers - Councilwoman - Phone: 845-876-8202/3393 E-mail: [email protected]
Herman Tietjen - Councilman - Phone: 845-876-7066/6164 E-mail: [email protected]
Kenneth Tompkins - Councilman - Phone: 845-876-3893
Barb Cunningham - Town Clerk - Phone: 845-876-3409

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Here's the letter Pat Coon wrote on this issue, CC'd to Legislator Tyner:

Supervisor Dennis McGuire and the Rhinebeck Town Board
80 East Market St.
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
Dear Supervisor McGuire and The Rhinebeck Town Board;

I am writing to you, along with a copy to our Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner, regarding a very serious concern that I have, ask your can help with. My husband Alan and I have lived at 30 Mt. Rutsen Rd., Rhinebeck for the past 21 years. During that time we have had numerous vehicular incidents occurring on our road, and in some instances in my front yard. In the past 24 hours, I have been witness to a young man gasping his last breaths as well as two women injured as a result of 2 separate auto accidents both in front of my yard. With every rain or snow I hold my breath to see how many accidents will happen on our road. I am not sure how many people will have to die, be injured, maimed, suffer injuries or families devastated on Mt. Rutsen Road before something is done to stop this. I feel that Mt. Rutsen Road- which is a town road- is unsafe for the number of vehicles that travel on it on a daily basis. These vehicles travel at a high rate of speed on a road which was originally meant only for local traffic. I have requested from the agencies listed below data as to the number of accidents on Mt. Rutsen Rd. to support my claim-- which I am sure will show Mt. Rutsen Rd. to be one of if not the most dangerous road in the town:

Dutchess County Emergency Response Dewitt Sagendorf
Dutchess County Sheriff Records department
NY State Police
Rhinebeck Police Sergeant Peter Dunn
Rhinecliff Fire Chief William Cotting
Rhinebeck Fire Chief Rick Dorrer
Dutchess County Traffic Safety

In the past I have requested to lower the speed limit, increase police patrol, and we even had the speed indicator from the Sheriff's office showing the speed at which cars are traveling, but none of this has helped or decrease the number of accidents. Having said this, I urgently request that you to address this problem now before another family is impacted, a life lost, or someone injured. I also request that Tator Hill Road be made a one way road, eliminating cars from turning in from Mt. Rutsen Rd., as this is also a hazard.

I appreciate your help in this matter, and as I acquire further information, I will be advising you.

Sincerely,

Patricia D. Coon

cc: County Legislator Joel Tyner

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Here's the article from yesterday's paper:

"Rhinebeck Woman Pleads for Fixes to Road: Rhinebeck Stretch Known
for Accidents" by Rasheed Oluwa [Poughkeepsie Journal 2/5/05]
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/friday/localnews/stories/lo020405s6.shtml

RHINEBECK -- Patricia Coon has seen cars roll over on her lawn.

The mailbox has been hit so many times, her family has installed an
anchoring device to keep it from flying off.

Two people have died there.

After watching countless crashes for more than 20 years from her
Mount Rutsen Road home, Coon is speaking out.

''My husband is on a first-name basis with county 911,'' she said.
''Everyone knows about that road because of the frequency of
accidents on it.''

Coon said she has implored town officials to do something about the
road, to no avail. She said she has talked to the highway
superintendent and written letters to the town board.

''I'm just concerned because I've had two people die, right in front
of my house and nothing has happened and I feel for those people,''
she said. ''I just think we should do something so no one else gets
hurt.''

According to the Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board, Mount Rutsen
Road ranked fifth for accidents in the Town of Rhinebeck from 2000 to
2002.

Study records crashes

The four other roads were either federal, state or county roads, with
Route 9 leading the way with 166 accidents during the time period.
Mount Rutsen Road had 19 accidents.

Coon said the blacktop on the road becomes particularly slick when it
rains or snows.

Rhinebeck Highway Superintendent Eugene Trombini said the road was
repaved several years ago and some of the curves on the road were
straightened to improve sight distance.

He said the road's real problem is the increase in traffic over the years.

''There's been accidents on it, but I don't know if it has anything
to do with road itself,'' Trombini said. ''More people are using it
as a shortcut to the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and some of them go
too fast for road conditions.''

Rhinebeck Supervisor Dennis McGuire said the road has been a problem
since when he was a state police officer more than 10 years ago.

He said signs were put up showing turns and the road's 40 mph speed
limit is clearly marked.

"The biggest problem is that people are driving at a speed too fast
for conditions,'' McGuire said. ''People have to use their own minds.
... You can't race on a slick road.''

McGuire said he was gong to discuss the issue with a county engineer this week.

Coon said she would continue to press town officials on the issue
until something was done.

''If it takes one little person to stand up and say enough is enough,
then I'm that person,'' she said.