Passing lane eliminated from road in East Dunkirk
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Two months ago, the East Town of Dunkirk Fire Department voiced its concerns with an unsafe portion of the road outside its fire hall. Their concerns did not fall on deaf ears, as the passing zone on South Roberts Road near the fire hall has been eliminated.
The department sent a letter to the Town of Dunkirk and to Chautauqua County calling for the elimination of a passing zone located on South Roberts Road, between Franklin Avenue, New Road, and Greenhurst Avenue. The area has no middle lane or designated turning lanes. Motorists often travel at a high speed along South Roberts Road, despite the speed limit posted at 40 miles per hour.
"Our goal is to identify and address a potential hazard before a serious accident occurs," the department stated in its letter.
The concern was heightened by the presence of the fire hall, as the stretch of road is located right in front of the building. Fire trucks exit the fire hall garage directly onto South Roberts Road, creating a safety risk for both motorists and firefighters.
The department requested a traffic and safety review of the area by the County in the interest of public safety. Town of Dunkirk Supervisor Shari Miller said she was "very happy" about the passing lane being removed at the monthly meeting of the Town Board in October.
"I'm very proud of the success of getting the passing lane taken care of," Miller said.
The East Town of Dunkirk Fire Department responded to 24 incidents in the month of September, down from 40 incidents in August. The West Town of Dunkirk Fire Department responded to 10 incidents in September, which is also down from the previous month. "Last month was a good safety month," Miller said.
The East Town of Dunkirk Fire Department was designated as a polling place for Election Day on Tuesday for District 1 in the town. The Dunkirk Town Hall will be a polling place for District 2.
In the month of September, the Town of Dunkirk Justice Court handled 165 vehicle and traffic law cases, 10 penal law cases, two civil law cases, two transportation law cases, two DNA cases and 10 termination of suspensions. A total of $20,260 was collected and turned over to the town. The Town Board passed a resolution to increase the mileage reimbursement rate to 76 cents per mile.
Pertaining to a conference in September, Town Justice Christopher Penfold turned over a check to the Town in the amount of $117 in reimbursement. Penfold, a Director of the New York State Magistrates Association, oversaw the Court Clerks on the conference trip and took exception to his integrity being questioned in correspondence between Town officials.
Also of note, Town of Dunkirk Councilman Phil Leone addressed the growing controversy in nearby communities regarding Flock Safety cameras. He said the issue is "getting out of control" in public opinion, and added that the cameras are beneficial to law enforcement. "I think it's ridiculous," Leone said of the public outrage. "I think they're something that's helpful – more help than harm."