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I Hate Traffic Lights But I Want to Live Longer
Dear Editor:
When we moved to Garrison 19 years ago, the area was devoid of traffic lights and passing lanes. Why Garrison in 1988? - it was still considered outside the commuter range to NYC, either by car or train - we wanted peace and quiet. Fast-forward to 2006 and we find that Poughkeepsie and Brewster are now in the commuter range. Cut to the chase and we find that Route 9 is now a freeway (South in the AM and North in the PM). The passing lanes (South from Indian Brook Rd to the Garrison Golf Course and North just before Travis Corners Road). To note, those passing lanes end less than one mile of each other and each end at a blind spot. Well, our hasty northern commuters who want to shave two minutes off their two-hour trek, disregard speed limits and use the passing lanes as a thrill ride and are usually driving at 75mph by the time they reach the convoluted intersection of Route 9, Travis Corners Rd and Snake Hill Rd.
The intersection is convoluted because Travis Corners Rd is not exactly lined up with Snake Hill Rd. Someone once had the bright idea of having both roads named Travis Corners Road - maybe they thought that made the off-center intersection subject to traffic laws regarding right-of-way. It didn’t work and we had Snake Hill Rd reincarnated. Let’s make this simple - Snake Hill Rd has been closed down at least 20 times in 19 years because of an accident at the convoluted intersection. Why? A car is coming down Travis Corners Rd with a left signal to turn onto Route 9 sees a car with no signal (to indicate a crossover) diagonally across Route 9 at Snake Hill Rd. They both are seeking a clear path on “Freeway 9”, they hesitate for a second and one or the other car makes a move. If they both start the move, they hesitate again and by that time “Freeway 9” is on the move and we have crash!
We got a “real light” (vs. the blinking yellow light) at the Route 9 and 301 intersection. Then we got a “real light” at the intersection of Route 9D and Lower Station Rd - maybe we got that one after George took office and Libby urged him to replace the yellow “blinky”.
A few weeks ago, I suggested in this Letters section that a safety mirror be placed on Canopus Hill Rd at the “curve of death.” Shortly thereafter, a resident on Canopus Hill Rd put up signs (is that legal?) that read “Please Don’t Honk”. If it is a traffic violation to honk, I will end up in jail following multiple infractions since I read the signs as “Please Honk.” My point then and now is let’s get together and improve road safety, necessitated by the evolution of our former quiet streets to drag strips. Give us a “real light” on Route 9, Travis/Snake Hill and a mirror on Canopus Hill - reducing the speed limits on Routes 9 and 9D is a cheap copout and is worthless, in my humble opinion. Finally, and most importantly, remember that Cold Spring and Garrison are residential communities (don’t forget that our mailboxes no longer say “RR”) with many more children than just a few years ago.
Sid Gibson
Garrison
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