After Years of Debate, STOPPING on Midland, At Least for Now…

MyRye.com reader Ted Carroll submitted this report on a Rye milestone from Wednesday's city council meeting – agreement on a stop sign test on Midland Avenue:

After five and a half years of studies, delays and debate, the Rye City Council last night voted to allow the test installation of stop signs on Midland Avenue at the corner of Palisade Road. Mr. Brian Dempsey, the Chairman of Rye’s Traffic and Transportation Committee and a traffic engineer by profession discussed the findings of his firm, TRC Engineers, Inc., in their recently concluded paid study of the intersection. Mr. Dempsey’s 10 page report concluded that additional stop signs at this location were not being recommended but that the council was not prohibited by code from doing a pilot study of their effects on actual traffic and pedestrian patterns.

Public and city council sentiment diverged however from Mr. Dempsey’s opinion with multiple residents and council members expressing support for such a pilot study. Jim and Maggie Amico reminded the council of their continuing support of testing stop signs at this location – one where their young son Jarrid had been struck and fatally injured in April of 2006 and where another child had been struck and injured in January 2010. Other residents also spoke in favor of the test and the council then voted unanimously to approve the test and authorize the city manager to take steps to initiate it. Mr. Amico afterwards expressed his deep gratitude for the outpouring of community support and pledged to continue his personal efforts to help make Rye streets and crosswalks safer for all.