A woman was struck in the intersection outside of Starbucks in Ardsley on Thursday, prompting officials to review ways to increase safety for pedestrians, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said. The woman suffered minor injuries, but he said “the accident highlights the dangers when pedestrians cross speedy areas.”
Feiner said that he is calling on New York State officials to hire a traffic consultant who could review the crossings on Saw Mill River Road and other busy roadways. He noted that several weeks ago, an Edgemont resident reported that she was struck near the intersection of Ardsley Road and Fort Hill Road.
“Those who cross the Saw Mill River Road in Ardsley have seen other cars driving fast and not stopping when pedestrians are crossing,” he wrote in an email. “I think that since Saw Mill River Road is a New York State road that (the state) should hire a traffic consultant who would review this crossing and make recommendations for pedestrian safety at the location.
“Perhaps, they have traffic engineers on their staff who are qualified to address this. We can't wait until there is another accident - an accident that could be more serious. Some of the owners of the apartments cross the busy street, and it's not safe.”
According to Feiner, the Greenburgh Police Department and Department of Public Works have already gotten to work, “making a concerted effort to minimize dangers at this intersection and identify action steps to improve its safety,” though there are some obstacles interfering with the site vision that will later be addressed.
“The study will include the possibility of a full light at the location,” he noted. “The consultant will need to study whether a (traffic) light could be installed without negatively contributing to significant traffic backups. We need to install a very safe crosswalk for pedestrians to use. But, don't want to create the illusion of safety.”
The Town Supervisor said that any area residents who are aware of dangerous crosswalks can contact him by emailing pfeiner@greenburghny.com.
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