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PAGGI & MARTIN
Consulting Engineers & Land Surveyors
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54-56 Main Street
Poughkeepsie, New York 12601
9 1 4-47 1 - 78 9 8
February 24, 1986
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Irene Paino, Supervisor
Members of the Town Board
Town of Wappinger
Box 324
Wappingers Falls, New York 12590
Re: Losee Road Report
Dear Mrs. Paino and Board Members:
As requested, this office has reviewed the present condition
of Losee Road with respect to its serviceability. Field
inspections were made with Ken Croshier, Highway Superintend-
ent, and all available traffic count, and speed data was
analyzed.
Our findings show the following:
1) Losee Road is a Town road, 4,840 feet in length, connect-
ing Myers Corners Road and Hopewell Road, two county roads.
Losee Road parallels Route #9, approximately 2,200 feet to
the east.
2) The roadway is paved with blacktop varying between 18 feet
and 20 feet in width. The tax maps show a right-of-way width
of 50 feet.
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3) The existing speed limit on the road is 30 miles per hour.
4) The road is quite old and not geometrically designed.
The topography varies from side to side, and some of the
houses are quite close to the paved surface.
5) There is a tee intersection with Sucich Place approximately
1,920 feet north of Hopewell Road. There are stop signs all
three ways at this intersection. The vertical sight distance
at this intersection is not adequate.
Joseph E. Paggi,Jr., P.E.
Ernst Martin, Jr., I'.E., 1..5.
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Irene Paino, Supervisor
Members of the Town Board
Town of Wappinger
Box 324
Wappingers Falls, New York 12590
February 24, 1986
Page Two
6) The peak hourly traffic on April 24, 1985 occurred between
5:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. at 146 vehicles.
7) The traffic count between April 24, 1985 and
April 28, 1985 averaged 1,400 vehicles at Myers Corners Road.
8) Speed reports obtained were from September, 1978. They
showed speeds ranging from 17 miles per hour to 40 miles
per hour, however, their age discounted their use.
At the February 3, 1986 Town Board meeting, residents of the
area presented the Town Board with a signed letter requesting
something be done with the roadway before a serious accident
occurs. They state that there are a number of things that
can be done to alleviate the problem.
This office agrees that the road is not designed to any
Highway Standards, but that considerable work would have to
be done to bring the road up to standard. Using current data,
construction costs to build this road would total $750,000.
Right of way would probably have to be acquired, with the
possibility of actual houses having to be bought.
Alternatives in resolving the problem are:
1) Reconstruction
2) Change of use of roadway
3) Stronger speed limit enforcement
Reconstruction is considered above, however the costs seem to
be prohibitive. Possibly, certain sections could be identified
as severe problem areas, and those sections could be rebuilt.
This would reduce the costs to whatever the Town Board felt it
could budget for this project.
The change of use of the roadway would require a good deal of
planning thought. My preliQinary opinion is that the road should
remain as a through road between the two County arterials.
Changing this use would have a detrimental effect to the residents
of Losee Road and residents of other parts of the Town.
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Irene Paino, Supervisor
Members of the Town Board
Town of Wappinger
Box 324
Wappingers Falls, New York 12590
Page Three
Stricter enforcement of the speed laws can only be accomplished
through beefed up police monitoring. Possibly, something
could be worked out with the Sheriff's Department to this end.
There are a number of practical things that can be done by the
Town Highway Department. These include keeping the sides of
the road clear of growth, keeping the road signs clearly
visible, and proper winter maintenance.
I trust that this gives the Board the information required
to make a proper decision.
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E. paggi, Jr.,P.E.
JEP/sa
cc: Ken Croshier, Highway Superintendent
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