Heavy truck traffic concerns driving new study

NEW BALTIMORE―Government leaders are hopeful that a newly commissioned study will help alleviate longstanding community concerns with truck traffic in Coeymans and Ravena.

It’s an issue that doesn’t stop at the county line and has also been impacting New Baltimore residents for years.

New Baltimore Town Councilperson Debra L. Sottolano said this week that the problem is only escalating with respect to the number of trucks coming through.

“New Baltimore has been facing problems and requesting help for years,” she noted.

Those haulers largely come and go from the Port of Coeymans, a major industrial hub along the Hudson River used for construction staging, heavy manufacturing, barge transport, and storing road salt.

The area of State Route 144 in the hamlet is significantly affected, Sottolano said.

“We’ve had repeated damage to homes in the historic district with trucks running into the walls of homes, dangerous situations of tires and tire rims flying off the trucks directly onto resident’s lawns and homes―and totally tearing down fences―trucks jackknifing as they attempt to negotiate one of the tight turns and often needing to back up into the post office lot to reverse direction back north,” Sottolano explained.

The problem, she said, is also harming home values and discouraging people from moving into the town.

“The noise from the trucks, frequently at 4 a.m. and often applying Jake Brakes has made misery to the quality of life, with one longtime resident actually selling their home that they’ve lived in for years,” Sottolano said, adding that another resident is now considering moving from their historic home.  

On Friday, Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy announced that the Advance Albany County Alliance has retained Bohler Engineering and Creighton Manning Engineering to conduct the study in the Town of Coeymans and Village of Ravena.

The study will evaluate current truck traffic patterns, identify areas of congestion and safety concern, and recommend alternative routing strategies to reduce the impact of heavy truck traffic on local roads and neighborhoods.

“Heavy truck traffic has placed a significant burden on our local roads and neighborhoods in Coeymans and Ravena,” said Albany County Legislator Zach Collins of Coeymans.

The study, Collins said, “will help identify responsible, actionable strategies to better manage freight movement while prioritizing the safety and well-being of our residents.”

Key components of the study will include:

Analysis of existing truck routes and traffic volumes and related impacts;

Identification of safety risks and infrastructure constraints;

Evaluation of potential alternative routes to minimize neighborhood impacts;

Neighborhood meetings to solicit community input from residents, businesses, and local officials; and

Recommendations for short- and long-term traffic management strategies.

Coeymans Town Supervisor Stephen Donnelly said that with the Albany County Executive’s Office and the Advance Albany County Alliance involved, “there is now a clear recognition that this is not just a local issue, but a regional one.”

“That understanding is critical to moving real solutions forward,” he said, adding that the hope is that the study will do more than just define the problem and will further position the Town of Coeymans and Village of Ravena to advance with requested action from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and implement long-term solutions.

Donnelly said he expects the study will generate data that can lead to necessary truck routing and truck volume solutions.

“In addition, the study may unlock grant funding opportunities for both the Town and the Village to repair and replace infrastructure that has been impacted by the severe increase in heavy truck traffic,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Town of Coeymans is looking into what it can do now to address the problem―with a Site Plan Review Law likely most immediate and effective option, Donnelly noted.

“Through proper enforcement of Site Plan Review, the Town of Coeymans can review and assess and, where appropriate, impose reasonable limits on the volume of truck traffic associated with certain industry and businesses that operate within our town,” he said.

The process, he added, allows the Town to protect the character of the community and the residents that live there, while continuing to recognize the importance of industry.

Sottolano says a comprehensive plan from New York State is ultimately needed to help resolve the problem.

“There is a great deal of activity now with all of our affected towns,” she said, adding that C are working together, and have involved Senators Patricia Fahy and Michelle Hinchey.

Greene County Legislative Chairman Patrick Linger, who represents New Baltimore, said that he has met with many town supervisors, senators and DOT officials over the years regarding the truck traffic on State Route 144.

“Unless it's wide or overweight, they can't be restricted. The trucks drawing complaints are neither,” he said.

But Linger has asked Greene County Highway Superintendent Scott Templeton to inquire as to whether Albany County’s study can be expanded into Greene County.

“The Port of Coeymans has grown exponentially. They've also become indispensable for road salt supply,” Linger said. “We need to make sure any solution doesn't simply shift the concerns to Greene.”

Linger is also looking down the road as Greene County has recently initiated the Cementon Rebirth Plan to investigate potential industrial revitalization of the riverfront hamlet on the county’s southern border.

“The Port of Coeymans and the Industrial Park encompass roughly 450 acres. Our Cementon project is three times that size,” Linger said. “I'd like to avoid similar pitfalls if possible.”