Is there any possible answer to reducing the number of accidents on Dennison Road? Linda Kingsley, who has reported numerous accidents near her home where the road curves, has made requests for a lower speed limit than 55 mph to the town of Hanover, but it is out of their hands.

New York state Department of Transportation — the same group that is bound and determined to have a roundabout at Routes 60 and 20 despite local sentiment — in February sent a letter to Kingsley that nixes the idea of a lower speed limit on the stretch of road. “The majority of motorists drive at a speed which they perceive to be responsible and prudent for existing conditions,” the letter stated. “Experience has shown that if there is no reason for driving at a reduced speed, the posting of signs with arbitrary lowered speed limit does not result in voluntary compliance by the majority of drivers, thus the lower speed limit results in larger speed differentials, which can make the road less safe.”

Oftentimes it seems as though state officials would rather make excuses than actually do something about a problem. This letter seems like one of those instances.