A map showing the intersections of the Adirondack Rail Trail and major roads in Saranac Lake where the village’s Parks and Trails Advisory Board is seeking signage and speed reductions from the state Department of Transportation. (Provided photo — Green Goat Maps)

SARANAC LAKE — What should the state do to keep pedestrians on the Adirondack Rail Trail safe as they cross roads along the former railroad line? That’s the question Saranac Lake and its Parks and Trails Advisory Board are asking.

In a letter to the state Department of Transportation that will be sent soon, the village and PTAB identify three potential problem areas in town where they have safety concerns. PTAB and the village are asking the DOT to consider new signage at these crossings and proposed a speed reduction — from 45 miles per hour to 30 mph — on state Route 86 heading out of the village to Lake Placid, where the trail crosses the busy road.

People have already been using the rail trail connecting Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid for travel and recreation, even as the state Department of Environmental Conservation has been asking the public to stay off the 34-mile corridor as they continue construction. But locals say they expect use to drastically increase over the winter as construction stops for the snowmobile, snowshoe and cross-country skiing season, and in the spring, when Phase One of the trail — between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake — will be open for bikers and hikers. This first 10-mile stretch of the Adirondack Rail Trail officially opened earlier this month.

PTAB asked the village to co-sign a letter it is sending to the DOT requesting that the state investigate safety solutions. The board approved this letter unanimously and PTAB plans to send it to the DOT’s Region 1 and Region 7 offices with the signature of the mayor. The letter asks for a response from the state by May.

“It is imperative that safety measures be completed before the Spring 2024 season as trail usage will increase exponentially,” the letter to the DOT reads.

Already, village officials say they’ve personally seen some close calls on the road. Nothing has happened yet, but they feel it’s a matter of time until something does. So they’re starting to gather ideas to get ahead of any safety issues.

“This is the beginning of those talks,” PTAB member Charlotte Lomino said at a village board meeting on Monday.

PTAB Chairman Ezra Schwartzberg said he’s not a “traffic person” and neither are the other members of the board, but they see potential safety issues and want to make sure they are addressed, so they’re asking the experts to take action.

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Intersections

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A key issue for PTAB is where the rail trail intersects with roads. Having pedestrians, bicyclists, skiers and snowmobilers crossing roads where cars whiz by at 30 to 50 miles per hours is dangerous, Schwartzberg and Lomino said.

PTAB identified three crossings in and around the village where they have recommendations to increase safety by increasing awareness and decreasing speed — on Broadway, Bloomingdale Avenue and state Route 86 heading toward Lake Placid.

They are recommending a variety of traffic calming measures there, as well as signage to increase visibility.

At the state Route 86 intersection, what is called Fowler’s Crossing, they are recommending the DOT reduce the speed limit through that area for pedestrian safety.

“That is a small price to pay for the dramatic improvement in cyclist and pedestrian safety,” the letter states.

Still, Schwartzberg said the speed limit reduction is a “big ask” and said they want public input on this idea.

Trustee Tom Catillaz suggested the state install traffic and pedestrian lights at Fowler’s Crossing — a system where pedestrians looking to cross the road could press a button to stop traffic.

“I have already had where a bike ran right out in front of me yesterday at Fowler’s Crossing,” Catillaz said. “It was at dusk and he is really lucky.”

But installing a light there could be difficult to get done, according to Trustee Rich Shapiro.

“A stop light is the thing the DOT is most resistant to,” Shapiro said. “Unfortunately, their usual rule of thumb is ‘Nobody’s gotten killed, so it’s not a problem.’ … We’ve got to stop it before that happens.”

Catillaz agreed.

“I think we’re on the verge of seeing a bicycle boom,” he said. “It’s increasing all the time. … Now’s the time to do it.

“In Europe, pedestrians and bicycles have the rule,” Catillaz added. “And you damn well better follow it.”

Village resident Jeremy Evans, who is set to be sworn in to the Harrietstown board in January, said the DOT will often say they don’t have the money for things, but there are grants available and he suggested the village try to partner with DOT to get these.

“With the Inflation Reduction Act, there is more money for infrastructure, and in particular, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, than there has been in the history of the United States,” Evans said. “So now is a great time to be aggressive in identifying that funding and bringing it to Saranac Lake.”

He said this could be “transformative” for the village.

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Specifics of speed and signs

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The speed reduction proposed at Fowler’s Crossing on state Route 86 would basically extend the 30 mph zone from the village line past the crossing for another quarter mile. In total, it would add a half-mile to the 30 mph zone heading eastbound on state Route 86.

“This is a high traffic area and is extremely difficult for pedestrians and trail users to cross due to the volume and increased speed of vehicles,” the letter to the DOT reads. “This is unsafe now.”

It says reducing the speed for a quarter mile on either side of the crossing would allow vehicles slow down before they reach it, whichever direction the vehicles are traveling. The PTAB members recognize that most motorists typically drive slightly over the speed limit.

“An extra 20 seconds driving time at speed limit, or 15 seconds at the more typical 5 mph over speed limit,” the letter reads.

On top of giving drivers more time to avoid a collision, they say this would also reduce the potential for injury or fatality if a collision does occur, because higher speeds mean higher risk.

“Studies have shown that pedestrian (and by extension cyclist) fatality rates increase dramatically with increased vehicular speed,” the letter states. “A person struck by a car going 50 mph is (four-and-a-half times) more likely to die than if they were hit at 35 mph.”

PTAB and the village also suggested installing a radar speed sign, a flashing pedestrian sign and/or an in-road sign or bollard, which could be removable in the winter.

These sign and bollard suggestions were also made for the other two locations — Broadway at the intersection with Cedar Street and Bloomingdale Avenue next to the Adirondack Carousel. Both of these intersections were described as “high traffic area(s) with multi-directional traffic turning from intersections and businesses.”

“The traffic light (on Bloomingdale Avenue) produces a queue of waiting vehicles to the trail crossing and could create dangerous blind spots for vehicles and trail users who are crossing,” the letter adds.

Mayor Jimmy Williams asked about the village’s ability to place its own signs near the trail intersections, on streets that are village-controlled, not DOT-controlled. He wondered if the DEC will grant the village easements to do this. Lomino said these areas are a bit confusing, even for state officials. Technically, it appears both have jurisdiction at intersections.

Lomino said DEC Public Participation Specialist Kendra Ormerod attended PTAB’s last meeting and is working with them to advocate to the DOT.