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Resident urges speed humps, village weighs lower limit and enforcement after repeated speeding reports
Summary
A resident raised safety concerns about speeding and wrong-way driving near Culver Avenue and Pulver (Polever) areas; village officials said they are consulting police and neighboring DPW and are considering lower speed limits and speed humps while assessing snowplow impacts and cost.
A resident, Brian Mafferty, told the Ravena Village Board during public comment on Sept. 16 that people frequently speed, run stop signs and sometimes ride dirt bikes and mopeds through the Pulver/Culver area, creating a safety risk for nearby children and park users.
Village trustees and staff said they have discussed several options with law enforcement and neighboring municipalities. A village speaker said officials have been in contact with Queen Anne's police leadership and Sergeant Eric Burns of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and are awaiting feedback from the Bethlehem Department of Public Works on how snowplows handle speed humps.
Mafferty urged installation of physical traffic-calming measures, saying speed humps would “stop the people” and proposing two humps on Culver and two on Park Drive. Village staff said conventional speed bumps (a parking-lot style) are not appropriate for a public road but that speed humps—a more gradual raised section of roadway—are an option. The village noted trade-offs including vehicle impact and plow clearance.
Officials described two parallel approaches under consideration: (1) lowering the posted limit within the park area from the village standard of 30 mph to 15 or 20 mph to give police a stronger enforcement basis and (2) installing physical speed humps. The village estimated a cost “about $4,000” per speed hump and said staff are weighing the quickest, most effective measures.
Trustees said enforcement presence is a key part of any solution. The board reported that recent staffing shortages reduced visible enforcement but that Albany County Sheriff’s deputies have increased patrols in the area after requests. Village staff said they will follow up with Bethlehem DPW for “real-world feedback” on durability and plow interaction before making a decision.
The board asked staff to continue gathering information on speed-hump dimensions, maintenance implications and exact cost, and to keep the resident informed by email once they have further details.
