GLORe]: HOEII\I.\:\:\

April 22. 2019
I Ion. Andrew M. Cuomo
The Capitol
Albany. New York 12242

Dear Governor

Cuomo:

The TO\\n or Clarkstown is committed to partnering with you and other local leaders in providing a safe
travelling cnx ironment and robust transportation infrastructure
1'01' motorists
and pedestrians alike.
There arc several state roads throughout Clarkstown that I and the members or the Town Board have
serious concerns with. due to the high number or collisions and an inordinate number of pedestrian
strikes and fatalities. we think you can help us address. That is why we respectfully request that the New
York State Department or Transportation
("'NYSDOr')
undergo a review or our local. heavily travelled
state roads in an effort to improve pedestrian and motorist safety and to decrease accidents and other.
more tragic outcomes.
We have been working with Assemblyman Ken
efforts in Rockland County to include the Town
within the TO\\Il that have the degree or volume
to above. The following three areas arc or most
I.

Zebrowski to expand existing NYSDOT evaluation
or Clarkstown.
There arc many State maintained roads
and congestion that contribute to the conditions referred
concern:

Route 30 ... corridor
Five (5) fatalities have occurred on Route 304 in the last two (2) years.
is also home to one ofTowns
Neighborhood
Shopping district that is designed to encourage
pedestrians and visitors. and serves as our Town and Rockland County government's scats.

It

Route 303 corridor - Route 303 is the main thoroughfare 1'01' commercial truck traffic through
the Town. which causes traffic and safety issues. Out or the 667 accidents that occurred since
2015. three (3) have been fatalities. '1'\\0 or the Town's largest industrial parks arc also located
along Route 303. We consider the issues on this portion or the road not only tied to public safety
and quality oflife. but as an economic development issue.
3.

"Five Corners" Intersection in Valley Cottage (Ridge Road. Lake Road. Christian Herald
Road. and Route 3(3) - Traffic congestion is common at the "Five Corners" intersection during
peak hours. often resulting in queues which extend far north on Route 303. 210 accidents have
occurred at this location since 2014.

II) \Lipk

,\\('1111<'.

'\,.\\

(:ii\.

'\,.\\

g.iltl('illll;llIll(lI

York 11)'1,-11'· 'I ('kpit()J](oI: l:l,li:").:ZW1()
cbrk'i()\\IJ.(lrg

• \\\\\\xLirk'I')\\IJ.()rg

• lax ilL'I·Ii:) 1_:1Lell'

 The NYSDOT has conducted safety studies along several state roadways within Rockland County.
including the Sustainable Development Study in Orangctown. Unfortunately. that study ended at the
Clarkstown/Orangctown
border and did not include the Clarkstown portion of Route 303. of which
associated improvements arc currently under construction.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council C-NY:v1TC") is currently conducting the Route 59
Transportation and Land Usc Study along Route 59. Once again. the Clarkstown portion of Route 59 is
not a part of the study.
This is problematic. Given the many issues and safety concerns on the state roads in Clarkstown. it is
puzzling why it appears that the Town is frankly being ignored as it relates to studies and capital
investment. This issue is a glaring one. especially when taking into account that the Town of Ramapo
had a project quickly added to the TIP and received funding based upon one grievous fatality with a fe\\
months' time.
It is time for a real commitment

to safety studies and upgrades on Routes 303 and 304 in Clarkstown.

Enclosed arc the Town Board resolutions that received unanimous approval related to the issues raised
in this letter. Please feel free to reach out to me for more information or to discuss further. We look
forward to working with you in improving the safety of state roads for our residents. businesses. and
visitors.

Sinccrclv.

CiC~J

I~~:::

Supervisor
w/l.nc,

Cc:

New York State Department 0 f Transportation
Acting Commissioner Paul Karas
50 Wolf Rd.
Albany. Ncv, York 12232
Asscrnblvman Kenneth lebrO\\ski
67 North Main Street
New City. NY 10956
Senator DLl\id Carlucci
20 South Main Street
New City. NY 10956

 2.8

Request to NYSDOT for Safety Improvements on Route 304
WHEREAS,
the Town of Clarkstown
both motorists and pedestrians, and

is committed

to providing

safe transportation

infrastructure

WHEREAS,
the Route 304 corridor in Clarkstown continues to experience a concerning
vehicular accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities to pedestrians and motorists, and

for

number

of

WHEREAS,
one of the Town's Neighborhood
Shopping districts is located on Routes 304 and
designed to encourage pedestrian visits to this areas from the surrounding neighborhoods, and

IS

WHEREAS,
at the Town Board meeting of March 4,2014 the Board unanimously adopted Resolution
# 125-20 14, which requested the NYSDOT study traffic speeds along Route 304 as was previously done
for Route 303, and subsequently the Supervisor sent a letter to the NYSOOT on March 5, 2014 in which
this request was made, and
WHEREAS,
as a result of the aforementioned
along Route 304 and

request, the NYSOOT

extended the 45 mph speed zones

WHEREAS,
on January 17, 2015 the Supervisor sent a letter to the NYSDOT
traffic light timing and synchronization along Route 304, and
WHEREAS,
as a result of the aforementioned
Route 304, and
WHEREAS,

request, the NYSDOT

requesting

a review of the

made light timing changes along

multiple fatalities have occurred on Route 59, including the following incidences:

1.

June 4, 2017 an accident fatality occurred at the intersection

of Route 304 and Goebel Road

2.

September
Road

25, 2017 an accident

fatality occurred

at the intersection

of Route 304 and Congers

3.

December
Lane

18, 2017 an accident

fatality occurred

at the intersection

of Route 304 and Cosmos

4.

December 19, 2017 a hit and run fatality occurred
Street, and

at the intersection

of Route 304 and Third

WHEREAS,
on October 20, 2017, in response to the first two of these incidents, Assemblyman Kenneth
Zebrowski sent a letter to the NYSDOT requesting pedestrian corridor evaluation of Route 304, which
has yet to be completed, and
WHEREAS,
the NYSOOT has conducted safety studies along several state roadways within Rockland
County, including the Sustainable Development Study in Orangetown, which ended at the Town line and
did not include the Clarkstown portion of Route 303, of which associated improvements are currently
under construction, and

TB March 26, 2019

NY SOOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

ON ROUTE 304
Packet Pg. 18

 2.8
the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is currently conducting the
Route 59 Transportation and Land Use Study along Route 59, which does not include any portion of
Route 59 within the Town of Clarkstown, and

WHEREAS,

BE IT RESOLVED
that the Town Board respectfully requests that the NYSDOT
conduct a comprehensive safety study of the Route 304 corridor throughout the Town of Clarkstown in an
effort to decrease accidents and improve pedestrian and motorist safety along the corridor.

THEREFORE

TMM

TB March 26, 2019

NYSDOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON ROUTE 304
Packet Pg. 19

 2.9

Request to NYSDOT for Safety Improvements on Route 303
WHEREAS, the Town of Clarkstown is committed to providing safe transportation infrastructure for
both motorists and pedestrians, and
WHEREAS, the Route 303 corridor in Clarkstown continues to experience a concerning number of
vehicular accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities to pedestrians and motorists, and
WHEREAS, two of Clarkstown largest industrial parks, the Congers Industrial Park and the Clarkstown
Executive Park in Valley Cottage are located on Route 303, along with one of the nation's largest indoor
malls, the Palisades Center, and
WHEREAS, Route 303 is main thoroughfare for commercial truck traffic through the Town along with
commuters accessing the New York State Thruway, all of which causes traffic and safety issues on Route
303, and
WHEREAS, multiple fatalities have occurred on Route 303. including the following incidences:
I.

667 Motor Vehicle accidents in the past five (5) years

2.

May 14, 2015 an accident fatality occurred at the intersection of North Route 303 and
Palisades Center Drive

2. August 16, 2015 an accident fatality occurred at the intersection of North Route 303 and
Palisades Center Drive
3.

September 25, 2017 an accident fatality occurred at the intersection of Route 303 and Storms
Road

WHEREAS, the NYSDOT has conducted safety studies along several state roadways within Rockland
County, including the Sustainable Development Study on Route 303 in Orangetown, which ended at the
Town line and did not include the Clarkstown portion of Route 303, and of which associated
improvements are currently under construction.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED in an effort to decrease accidents and improve pedestrian and
motorist safety along the Route 303 corridor, the Town Board respectfully requests that the NYSDOT
continue the Sustainable Development Study that was commenced in Orangetown and conduct a
comprehensive safety study of the Route 303 corridor throughout the Town of Clarkstown.
TMM

TB March 26, 2019

NYS DOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ROUTE 303
Packet Pg. 20

 2.10

Request to NYSDOT for Safety Improvements on "Five Corners"
Intersection in Valley Cottage
WHEREAS, the Town of Clarkstown
both motorists and pedestrians,

is committed

safe transportation

infrastructure

for

and

WHEREAS, the area of the intersections
303 known colloquially

to providing

of Ridge Road, Lake Road, Christian

as the "Five Comers"

continues

to experience

Herald Road and Route

a concerning

number of motor

vehicle accidents, and

WHEREAS, two of Clarkstown

largest industrial parks, the Congers Industrial Park and the Clarkstown

Executive Park in Valley Cottage are located on Route 303, and

WHEREAS, Route 303 is main thoroughfare

for commercial

truck traffic through

the Town, which

causes traffic and safety issues on Route 303, and

WHEREAS, traffic congestion

is common

at the "Five Comers"

intersection

during peak afternoon

hours, often resulting in queues which extend far north on Route 303, and

WHEREAS, multiple motor vehicle accidents have occurred at these intersections

since 2014, including

the following incidences:
I.

7 motor vehicle accidents at the intersection

2.

12 motor vehicle accidents at the intersection

of Christian Herald Road and Lake Road

3.

91 motor vehicle accidents at the intersection

of Route 303 and Lake Road

WHEREAS, the NYSDOT

has conducted

County, including the Sustainable
did not include the Clarkstown
under construction,

safety studies along several state roadways

Development
portion

of Ridge Road and Lake Road

Study in Orangetown,

within Rockland

which ended at the Town line and

of Route 303, of which associated

improvements

are currently

and

WHEREAS, the New York Metropolitan

Transportation

TB March 26, 20 19NYS DOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

Council (NYMTC)

is currently conducting

- FIVE CORNERS,

the

V ALLEY COTTAGE

,....------- .......
Packet Pg. 21

 2.10

Route 59 Transportation and Land Use Study along Route 59, which does not include any portion of
Route 59 within the Town of Clarkstown, and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board respectfully requests that the NYSDOT
conduct a review of Route 303, with a focus on the "Five Comers" intersection, in an effort to decrease
motor vehicle accidents and improve safety and traffic conditions along Route 303.
TMM

TB March 26, 20l9NYS DOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS - FIVE CORNERS, VALLEY COTTAGE

,....---------,
Packet Pg. 22