Dobbs Ferry board declines proposed stop sign at Young Street and Ashford Avenue after resident testimony

The Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees voted on June 23 to reject a proposed local law that would have added the intersection of Young Street and Ashford Avenue to the village's schedule of stop intersections.

The proposal drew public comment from Richard Larson, a resident who said he has owned the house on the corner for 20 years and that Young Street is a short dead end "with half a dozen houses on it". Larson told the board he believed crashes at the location result from a bend in Ashford Avenue and not vehicles exiting Young Street, and he warned a sign would be impractical to place without impinging on private property or the sidewalk. "I don't think the stop sign will accomplish what anybody wants to accomplish," he said.

Village staff and the study authors had placed the matter on the agenda after a traffic study by consultant Nelson the engineers flagged the intersection as unregulated. Staff told the board they inspected the site and found limited options for placing a standard sign — one placement would intrude on a building face and another location could run afoul of state standards.

Trustees debated the merits at the meeting and ultimately moved to adopt the local law but the board's vote failed on the floor when members opposed the measure. The record of the meeting indicates the motion did not carry and the local law was not adopted.

The board left the door open for alternative remedies. Officials said they would continue to consult the traffic engineers for a practical safety solution and review other measures such as pavement fixes or repaving, addressing a noisy manhole cover, or targeted roadway repairs that residents suggested.

Next steps: staff said engineers would return with recommended alternatives and the board will follow up with residents on possible non-sign interventions.