Many of us have heard of traffic lights at the intersection of Main Street and Hudson and Railroad Aves., but have little real understanding of why we have to go through more construction. This is especially frustrating, after going through the reconstruction of Main Street.
There has never been an accident at this crossing, many people have said. Leave it alone. Just the way it is.
This is not the way Department of Transportation (DOT) sees this. There are many vehicles stopped ON the tracks, waiting for traffic to clear so they can make their turn. When a tractor trailer tries to navigate this intersection, it is awkward and time consuming, and this truck can spend a fair amount of time on the tracks, waiting for an opportunity to make their turn. That is the problem: Vehicles sitting on the tracks. One of these days, somebody’s gonna get nailed by a train.
I write to tell you that, indeed, DOT will signalize that crossing. It will happen unless the Village comes up with an alternative plan. If the Village does not come up with a counter proposal, we will get traffic lights at the intersection of Hudson Ave, Railroad Ave and Main Street. Like it or not, it will happen. New York State and CSX railroad are adamant that the intersection is dangerous, and something must be done to make it safer.
To help you understand what our options are, there are some proposals outlined below, with images. Please understand that these are rough sketches, to be used only as aids in understanding our options. These are not scale drawings. To enlarge an image, please click on it.
Option 1, Signalize the intersection:
DOT has said this intersection of Main and Hudson WILL be signalized, unless the Village wants to extend Main St. There will be traffic lights at each of the four roads coming into this intersection: Hudson and Railroad Aves, Main Street and Park Row. One light will be green at a time, allowing traffic from one road to flow through the intersection freely. The other three roads have red lights. When a train approaches, ALL lights will go red 50 seconds in advance of the train. This will halt ALL traffic, and allow any traffic in the crossing to clear the area. While this is certainly safer than the existing crossing, I am concerned how deep traffic will build up in the Village. The railroad has said that they are planning on more rail traffic in the future.
This is the least attractive of the options to me for several reasons. One is that the lights will slow traffic flow in the Village. It is hard to envision how the lights will affect traffic flow. But I know that I go to lengths to avoid this intersection whenever I can, and if delays become worse, I suspect traffic may take Kinderhook Street to bypass the intersection. This will make Kinderhook St a high speed bypass for people wanting to simply get through the Village. This will endanger a once child-friendly neighborhood. Traffic may avoid Chatham altogether because of the traffic lights, which would be bad for business.
Option 2, Extend Main St:
Speaking of options, there is at least one on the table that DOT is willing to consider. Jim Rapoli, from DOT, has said that DOT is willing to consider extending Main St. farther South to improve the safety of automobile and pedestrian traffic at a new railroad crossing. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This speaks very highly of DOT that they are willing to consider this option. We need to consider the options and let them know what we want.
In Option 2, Main Street would be extended past Park Row, into Depot Square, turning left just past Herrington’s lumber yard. This proposed Main St. would cross the tracks just past the Kinderhook Bank and come out on Hudson Avenue next to MJ’s Sports Bar.
DOT is willing to add parking at the municipal lot South of Kinderhook Bank, adding up to fifteen spaces. There would be a sidewalk from this lot to Hudson Ave restaurants and stores, increasing the ‘walkability’ factor for the Village. Overnight parking is available here for the residents of the area. Six spaces would be lost in front of MJ’s, and three spaces added in front of Video Visions after the bumpout is removed. This is a loss of parking on Hudson Ave, particularly affecting MJ’s Sports Bar and Lippera’s Chtham House.
On the up side, this option opens up the interior of the block for development, the large triangular area between Main St, Hudson and Woodbridge Aves. It would increase traffic for the businesses in Depot Square. New parallel parking and green space could be created along Main St. between the clocktower and Depot Square. In the future, Main Street could be connected to Woodbridge Avenue, making a safe road for school busses and auto traffic to queue up on school mornings. Businesses like Kinderhook Bank and Herrington’s would have to reconsider their parking schemes, but would also have tremendous visibility and accessibility.
A downside is construction, yet again, in the Village. DOT has said that this can be minimized by doing the new crossing and roadwork while leaving the old crossing in use. In this option, the Veteran’s Memorial would have to be relocated.
Option 3: Extend Park Row
Imagine Park Row running straight across the tracks to Railroad Ave. Main Street is reconfigured to tee into Park Row. This does not develop Depot Square, as Option 2 does, but that is an option the Village and property owners can revisit down the road. The Veteran’s Memorial would have to be relocated. This option has recently been proposed by DOT, and still needs to approved by the this agency. This would be the least invasive, and possibly at half the cost of a signalized intersection. In speaking with DOT, they opined that signals may not be required. Loss of at least one space in front of Video Visions, and three northbound on Railroad Ave would be the downside to this intersection, would be the downside to this plan. For those who want to ‘keep things the way they are’, this may be as close as you can get, while satisfying DOT and CSX. This option still needs to be approved by DOT.
Public Hearing:
As a retail-business community, we need traffic to survive, and we need to have parking within easy walking distance of our businesses. Parking is essential to our businesses, no parking, no business. Some folks have said they would prefer lights to construction, and others have said they would like to re-arrange the crossing . To have your concerns heard, there is a Public Hearing set for January 12, at 7:00 PM at the Tracy Memorial Hall, 77 Main Street. From this meeting, the Village Board will have a better sense how the community wants to deal with this issue, and can direct DOT in their plans.
To express your concerns by mail, please write the Village Clerk, 77 Main Street, Chatham NY. 12037
Or email me: mayor@villageofchatham.com
Thanks, Tom Curran
Dear Mayor Curran, Thank you for this information. I am in favor of Option #2. with some modification.
I would propose that the Village consider making the extended Main St.a one-way street. Traffic would flow west to east, exit around the “fountain” to the corner of Austerlitz and Rt. 295. At this intersection, I would suggest a signal.
( This corner is another dangerous intersection. My sense is that traffic is increasing and the friendly turn-taking as High St. enters Austerlitz and continues on across Rt. 295 has become more difficult. Cars are often stopped by trains, forming lines that interfere with travel on Rt. 295.)
Shoppers who wish to return to Main St. could proceed to Park St. via Kinderhook , a current practice. Shoppers entering the village from the east on Rt. 295 would follow a similar route. They could turn right at an Austerlitz St. light, travel around the fountain and turn onto Kinderhook for two blocks to Park. Then, they can make a left down Park and connect to Main. If they wish to shop at the bank or the lumber yard, they can approach from the other end.
This circular traffic combined with Option #2 has three benefits. It might improve two dangerous intersections,allow for increased parking in the village, and create the perception that the village commerce begins at the Chatham House, and the Kinderhook Bank both of which present a pleasing aesthetic. This effect at the corner in question could be enhanced by the village. I can envision that business would increase in all adjoining properties.
Sincerely yours,
Linda W. Macaione
65 Austerlitz St.
Chatham, NY
Linda, thank you for your very thoughtful reply. One problem is that Main ST. is actually a State Highway, Route 66. It would take an act of the gods to turn that into a one way. This is not entirely out of the question, but it’s a very long shot.
Tom