Officials seek reduced speed on Lucas Avenue

Town looks to reduce speed limit on Lucas Avenue from Maxwell Road to the Hurley town line at Canimi Way.

Town Board members will ask Ulster County and the state Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit on Lucas Avenue from 45 mph to 35 mph from Maxwell Road to the Hurley town line at Canimi Way.

At a board meeting Thursday, Supervisor James Quigley said the request is a response to the June 22 death of pedestrian Jennifer Curry, 17, who was struck by a vehicle.

Carol Melamed, 69, of Kerhonkson, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in the death. The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office said Melamed was driving her 2007 Infiniti southbound on the shoulder of the roadway on Lucas Avenue near Spring Lake Drive when her vehicle struck Curry, but declined to say whether speed or other factors contributed to the crash.

“She was killed by a vehicle heading away from Kingston,” Quigley said. “The accident occurred in the 30 mph zone, but a lot of people have said because of it being 30 mph and, then it increases, (drivers) tend to increase their speed as they get closer to the town.”

Quigley said county Legislator James Maloney, who is also town assessor, has told board members the proposed speed limit reduction has been discussed by county lawmakers.

“He said we would have a higher probability of success if we were to put this in through the county,” he said.

Among concerns for drivers along the half-mile stretch is trying is trying to get onto Lucas Avenue from several side streets.

“If you’re trying to leave Wiltwyck (Golf Club) coming out Steward Lane and you’re looking at the traffic coming over the bridge that crosses the Thruway, it is coming at you at a high rate of speed,” Quigley said. “It’s a poor line of sight coming over the bridge.”

There is also a short sight distance for drivers coming out of the Spring Lake fire station parking lot.

“There is a little bit of a curve there and, hopefully, we can do something about that,” Quigley said.

Maloney in a telephone interview following the meeting said he expects to submit a resolution to the county Legislature next month.

“You have 30 miles per hour from the city line to Maxwell Lane, where it becomes 45 mph,” he said. “You’ve got the curve right there, you’ve got the entrance to Wiltwyck, you’ve got the entrance to two mobile home parks. Forty-five mph is a bit high.”