Resident urges speed humps, village weighs lower limits and enforcement after repeated speeding reports

A resident raised repeated safety concerns about speeding and wrong-way drivers near Pulver/Park Drive and asked the Village Board on Sept. 16 to install traffic-calming devices and increase police enforcement. The matter matters because residents say children and people using the park are at risk, and the board is weighing physical changes to the roadway against enforcement limits and maintenance concerns. Resident Brian Mafferty told the board he has “seen this on a daily basis” and said he is “waiting for an accident to happen.” Village officials said enforcement is the primary issue and that staff are exploring lower speed limits and speed humps. The official said, “Speed bumps themselves are out of the question on public roads like that,” but that speed humps — shallower, wider raised sections intended to slow traffic — are under consideration. Board discussion and resident comments focused on three approaches: stronger police presence, an ordinance change to lower the posted speed in the park area, and installing speed humps. Village staff said they have contacted Sergeant Eric Burns of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and have asked Bethlehem’s Department of Public Works about how its snowplows handle existing humps. The village official told the board the humps in a nearby municipality cost about $4,000 apiece. Mafferty and other residents suggested two humps on Culver and two on Park would deter drivers; Mafferty estimated that four humps “to perhaps save somebody’s life” would be worth the cost. Village staff cautioned that speed-limit reductions improve enforceability but do not stop drivers who flout traffic laws; officials said targeted enforcement remains necessary and that additional information from Bethlehem DPW and the sheriff’s office is pending. No formal action to install humps was taken. Village staff were directed to gather more information from Bethlehem’s DPW about plow compatibility and to coordinate with law enforcement on enforcement options and signage. Officials said they will report back by email to the resident who raised the concern. The board heard several additional on-the-record details during the exchange: residents reported frequent repeat offenders and the presence of dirt bikes and mopeds in the area; the village noted that humps used in parking lots are different from road humps and that any physical change must account for municipal maintenance vehicles. The matter remains under study; the village said it will share the findings with residents and pursue possible enforcement increases in the interim.