One of the busiest intersections in the village of Canastota could see some changes soon. Whether that means it will be safer is up for debate.
The Madison County Department of Transportation is removing the traffic light at the Peterboro and Center Street intersections — which is creating concern for many residents in the area. The town council said safety plans include a curb extension for pedestrians and a beacon device to alert motorists when pedestrians are crossing.
A lot of research went into deciding what the town needs, but one of the main concerns is interference with the flow of the Canastota Fire Department, which shares the intersection.
“The light is a necessity in the village,” said Canastota Fie Chief Lyle Chafee. “The speed has increased. The volume of traffic has increased. It’s adjacent to the thruway. We have a lot of traffic here. We need the light.”
“The details of what that traffic, that modification that looks like, still has some things to work out,” said regional traffic engineer Linda Lubey.
No decisions have been finalized, but town councilors said they'll make adjustments to give people what they want.