The Freemans Journal - Cooperstowns Newspaper Since 1808: Repair Blind Spot, Save Lives, Neighbors To Fatal Crash Ask

The Freeman's Journal - Cooperstown's Newspaper Snce 1808

Sunday, July 13, 2008

By JIM KEVLIN

FLY CREEK

Mary Winne, who lives at Johnstons/Day road intersection with Route 28, has witnessed too many close calls as traffic whips by in front of her house.
The crash that took the life of motorcyle rider Andrew Ellis, 23, of Hartwick on Monday, July 7, was the final straw. That Wednesday evening, she and neighbor Barbara Pope asked the Otsego town board for help in getting the state Department of Transportation to do something about the danger spot.
Since, the two neighbors and Pauline Stavola, a friend of the Ellis family, have been distributing petitions at the Fly Creek General Store, and the Doubleday Cafe and other points in downtown CooPerstown, seeking to make DOT aware “how dangerous this intersection is.”
Otsego Town Supervisor Tom Breiten said the town board is very willing to intervene.
“When someone’s child gets killed on a road, you want to do somethiing about it,” the supervisor, himself a father.
In her letter to the town board – copies were sent to Congressman Mike Arcuri, D-24, and state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford – Mary Winne asked for five things:

• Lower the speed limit from 55 to 45 between Cooperstown and Fly Creek.

• Eliminate the passing zone south of the intersection; it causes passing drivers to accelerate as they approach the intersection.

• Reduce the grade of the hill approaching Johnstons Road to improve visibility.

• Install a traffic light at the top of the hill.

• Put a traffic counter at the Johnstons/Day intersection with Route 28 to determine the amount of traffic. On July 14, Andrew Ellis was riding his motorcyle west on Route 28; when cresting the hill, it collided with a Jeep that was crossing 28 from Day to Johnston roads.

Labels: 07-18-08, Front Page