Gaby O’Shea was recently hit from behind by a motor vehicle while cycling on Route 299 in New Paltz in the vicinity of Butterville Road. Gaby was thrown from her bike, landed in the surrounding woods, and suffered serious life-threatening injuries.

Unfortunately, Gaby is not the first cyclist to be involved in a vehicular-to-bicycle crash on this stretch of roadway. Other cyclists have been hit or run off the road causing them to crash and suffer varying degrees of injuries.

This nearly six-mile stretch of Route 299 from the Carmen Liberta Bridge to the intersection of Rt. 44/55 is a vital link for those traveling from New Paltz to some of the most beautiful recreational opportunities in the Hudson Valley. This stretch of road is also part of the Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway but it can only be enjoyed by those in motor vehicles or by the most experienced cyclists who are willing to take serious risks.

Recognizing that this road needs to be safer and friendlier for bicyclists, Ulster County has plans to install three to four-foot shoulders on Route 299 from Butterville Road to the Village by the end of 2016. The expectation is to extend these shoulders out to Rt. 44/55 by 2017.

Ulster Country should be applauded for proposing such immediate action and recognizing the urgency of increasing safety on this road. Three to four-foot shoulders are a vast improvement over existing conditions; however, I encourage the county to make this stretch of road even safer for cyclists and motorists by doing the following:

• Install buffered bicycle lanes on the north and south side of Rt. 299 from the Carmen Liberta Bridge to the intersection of Rt. 44/55
• Reduce the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph for this entire stretch of road

With these improvements, Ulster County will demonstrate its commitment to safe and accessible cycling and it will serve as a model for other communities.