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Resident urges more enforcement on Northridge; trustees describe incremental measures and budget limits
Summary
A resident told trustees that a speed display sign has not curbed speeding on Northridge; trustees and staff said they have started incremental measures, are evaluating crosswalk/capital options and are continuing recruitment to fill vacant police positions.
A Rye Brook resident raised speeding and enforcement concerns during public comment at the Jan. 14 Board of Trustees meeting, saying the village’s recently installed speed-display sign had not stopped motorists from driving well above the posted limits near the elementary school.
"Today I witnessed people going 48 miles an hour past and didn't slow down," the resident identified in the record as Loronga of 126 Northridge said, noting he watches during school pickup. "If the speed limit's 30 and you're doing 35, you should get a ticket. End of story." He asked whether the village could hire more police or otherwise increase enforcement.
Trustees and staff said the village is taking steps but that options are limited by staffing and budget constraints. Chris, the village administrator, said the village has vacant police positions it is trying to fill and that the board will consider capital measures—such as crosswalks and other traffic-calming devices—as part of the coming budget process.
"We are trying to do what we can in incremental steps," Chris said. He noted the speed sign is one of several actions and that staff plan to include certain traffic-calming items in the capital budget for board consideration; if funded, construction would follow later in the fiscal year.
Mayor Klein and trustees agreed enforcement could help but cautioned that hiring officers is costly and assignment of any new officer would be a decision for the police chief. "Adding another police officer on the road can definitely help, but it's very expensive," a trustee said. Officials said the board has discussed police staffing as part of the budget process and continues recruiting.
The meeting record shows the village appointed a conditional police officer during the same meeting; staff said new hires will be integrated into patrol assignments once the hiring process is complete.
The resident asked staff to continue pursuing measures to increase visible enforcement and traffic-calming; officials said they will present data and capital requests for future budgets and continue recruitment efforts.
