Drivers will have to slow down on East Hill and Gridley roads in Middleburgh.
State Department of Transportation officials informed county and Town of Middleburgh officials on December 24 that the speed limit for the two roads be lowered from 55mph to 40mph.
The speed limit will be reduced for East Hill Road for about 1.9 miles from the intersection with Gridley Road to the Middleburgh/Broome town line and on Gridley Road for about four-tenths of a mile from Route 145 to East Hill Road. Both roads are in Huntersland.
“It’s pretty appropriate,” Supervisor Dennis Richards said of the speed reduction.
Middleburgh town board members requested a speed study through the county in August after a request from several residents.
The speed limits were not reduced on the roads in the Town of Broome.
The state would have preferred to do the whole road but “that’s all we can do,” Mr. Richards said.
The town will send letters to the residents who asked for the reduction in August.
The town is responsible for the new speed limit signs that have to be posted.
In August, East Hill Road residents Pauline and Mary Mercer and Steve Lamont spoke about how dangerous the road was.
At that meeting in the Huntersland fire house, board members asked that a petition be brought back to back up the request.
A petition was received from residents on the road in September.
From the Town of Middleburgh, East Hill Road goes into the Town of Broome and them into Albany County.