To Town Residents:

The County of Schenectady worked hard to receive an important grant from the federal government to improve safety on the Nott Street Corridor between Balltown Road and Clifton Park Road. The Town is excited to see attention being given to an area with known safety issues and looks forward to improving walkability, lighting, parking and accessibility to the keystone businesses we have on Nott St. We are grateful to the County for their willingness to invest in our town.

The County is currently considering 4 alternatives for the improvements (including a do-nothing option) and solicited input from residents after a presentation on August 6.

This project’s goals are to improve pedestrian & bicycle safety and mobility, reduce vehicle speeds, improve vehicle turning movements and reduce accidents. Protection of the businesses and enhancement of their environment is also critical to the Town. The presentation on August 6 is here: https://www.niskayuna.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4781/f/uploads/nottst_publ...

For your consideration:

Traffic Calming measures, such as raised crosswalks, mini-roundabouts and slight bends in the road (lateral shift), reduce vehicle speeds and increase safety (https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/traffic_calm.cfm).

Larger sidewalks and bicycle / pedestrian improvements transform asphalt into potential gathering spaces for recreation, shopping, and outdoor seating / display and allows space for additional landscaping and street trees. The New York City Department of Transportation studied the economic benefits of Sustainable Streets and found “improved accessibility and a more welcoming street environment generated increases in retail sales in the project areas” (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/dot-economic-benefits-of-susta...).

The Town would like to hear your comments as we work with the County to find the best solution. Please send your thoughts and ideas to Niskayuna Town Planner Laura Robertson at lrobertson@niskayuna.org by September 23, 2019.