By Doug La Rocque
Hoosick Road (NYS Route 7) traffic and ambulance coverage questions dominated the discussion at the Brunswick Town Council meeting on Thursday, November 10. First, the traffic. Supervisor Phil Herrington mentioned the Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) has picked the engineering firm of Creighton Manning to complete the traffic study along Hoosick Road. According to the Supervisor, the Albany based firm was chosen at the urging of the NYS Department of Transportation, because they have traffic light specialists on staff. The traffic lights along Hoosick Road are often mentioned as a contributing factor to the long back-ups. The CDTC’s study will probably not take place until the Aldi store is open, in order to get a complete picture of the traffic scenario. Aldi, meanwhile, has had some issues establishing three-phase power to the store with National Grid, thus backing up an as yet unannounced opening date. The CDTC would also like the Town to form an advisory committee of area residents, a Town official, and a business representative to be part of the traffic study. The Board appointed Christine Fronhofer as the first member of that committee.
Hannaford also established an escrow account for a second traffic study once their store on Lord Avenue opened. That opening took place in September and some of that money is now to be used for traffic counts in the affected areas.
On a positive note, the Sycaway community expressed their thanks to the Town for closing several roads in the area so their neighborhood Halloween Parade could be safely held.
The Ambulance Is Coming, But When?
While ongoing issues and resolutions to the ambulance response time issue remain under review, Supervisor Herrington stated he has had several meetings with Mohawk Ambulance, who claim they are having some success with their staffing issues, and are now keeping an ambulance in Brunswick whenever possible, and if that ambulance is called out, back filling by placing another ambulance on standby in the Troy Plaza. Mohawk claims they now have a 98% response rate in the Town. Herrington says the Town is working with Mohawk on some mutual aid agreements as well.
News and Notes
The Board approved the 2023 Town budget, which has a zero percent tax increase.