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Ulster County Legislature postpones public hearing on vulnerable road users local law to seek Traffic Safety Board review
Summary
The Legislature withdrew and then postponed a scheduled public hearing on a proposed local law aimed at protecting vulnerable road users, asking the Traffic Safety Board to review enforcement and jurisdictional questions before rescheduling the hearing.
The Ulster County Legislature withdrew a motion to set a public hearing on a proposed local law intended to improve safety for vulnerable road users, then voted to postpone further action so the proposal can be reviewed by the county Traffic Safety Board.
A legislator said the Traffic Safety Board — which includes advocates, road-user stakeholders and law enforcement representatives — has technical expertise the Legislature should use before finalizing the local law. The same legislator said they spoke with the county executive, the county attorney and the sheriff and was told that enforcement authority would rest with county and local law-enforcement agencies across county roads; the speaker noted the state thruway would remain outside local pedestrian/cyclist access and enforcement.
The postponement was presented as a compromise to allow the Traffic Safety Board to vet enforcement and jurisdictional questions while preserving the Legislature's ability to schedule a public hearing for public comment later. Several legislators said they were concerned about delays but supported getting the board's input so any public hearing produces a better-informed local law; one legislator said they hoped the process could still move quickly enough to be effective during the active outdoor season.
The matter will be revisited after the Traffic Safety Board meets; no new public hearing date was set during the session.
