A two-car head-on crash so bad a helicopter was called in to airlift one of those involved to the hospital should be all the reason the Town of Middleburgh needs to lower the speed limit on Gridley Road.
That’s what resident Gus Wade told Supervisor John Youmans and councilmen Thursday.
Last Saturday at 4:30pm, Mr. Wade said, there was a two-car accident in front of his barn, all caught by his security videos.
“Sooner or later…the next one’s going to be fatal if the speed isn’t addressed,” he said.
There are three blind spots on the road near his place and those of neighbors Bonnie Snyder and Maurice Lawton, he said—Ms. Snyder and Mr. Lawton were also there—and at his, Mr. Wade said, there’s a 50-60 foot drop “from the top of the hill to the Valley.”
Mr. Wade said the signs at the curve near his place are confusing; one says 20 MPH, another says 40 MPH.
“That’s a confusing dilemma to me,” he said.
Highway Superintendent Steve Kowalski pointed out one is a “caution” sign—not a speed limit sign—and they’re also targeting traffic coming from two different directions.
Mr. Wade said video from the April 6 accident reviewed by Sheriff’s deputies shows one of the cars traveling at 40 MPH and the other in the middle of the road.
He’s requesting the speed be dropped to 30.
No one disputed the seriousness of the situation, but Mr. Kowalski said he believes any change requires the Town Board forwarding the request to Schoharie County DPW, which then has to ask state DOT to conduct a traffic and speed study.
Mr. Kowalski also questioned whether it would make any difference.
“It’s your neighbors who are speeding,” he said. “It wouldn’t matter if we changed it to 5 MPH, I guarantee it wouldn’t change a thing.”
The Town Board agreed to research the process and take whatever steps are needed to address Mr. Wade’s concerns.
“We take this very seriously,” Mr. Youmans said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Wade has a solution of his own: Flashing lights he plans to put up on his property.
“It’s almost like I have to take the law into my own hands,” he said.