Traffic deaths have become a public health epidemic. Sadly, Rosendale, NY, is not immune.

In light of the recent death of Victoria Cooper, we, the undersigned residents, workers, business owners, and visitors in the Town of Rosendale, strongly urge our elected officials (Rosendale Town Board, Ulster County Executive, Ulster County Legislature, Assemblymember, and Senator) to immediately do everything in their power to initiate a NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) traffic safety study.

The study should include, and not be limited to, a safety review of the intersections of State Route 32 and State Route 213 (Main St.), including the north and south approaches to the intersection from hilltop to hilltop on Route 32 and westbound along State Route 213 to Cottekill Rd. The study should consider speed limit reductions along all of these road segments.

In addition, the DOT should include any road entering into the above-mentioned segments of State Route 32 or State Route 213 to ensure that all crosswalks--as defined in Vehicle & Traffic (V&T) Chapter 71, Title 1, Article 1, Section 110--are clearly marked.

We join County Executive Metzger and Rosendale Town Supervisor Walsh, in calling upon the NYS DOT to “make needed pedestrian infrastructure improvements of the intersection of State Route 32 and State Route 213 in Rosendale, NY."

14 years of local government and community requests, is long enough. We seek immediate action from the DOT.