New Signs Will Flash Warnings

By John Davis Poughkeepsie Journal - Jul. 10, 2006

Billings- It will be flashing signs, not a signal, that will warn drivers on North Cross and Sought Cross roads to stop at the Route 55 Intersection.

The LaGrange Town Board recently authorized spending on two flashing stop signs and two flashing "Stop Sign Ahead" signs.

The new signs, which the town highway department will install, flash around the clock and are powered by solar energy, LaGrange Supervisor Jon Wagner said.

"They are effective, " he said.

The board approved the spending after learning the New York state Department of Transportation will not install a flashing signal at the intersection.

Study showed no need.

A traffic study by the DOT led the state agency to conclude a traffic light6 "was not warranted," Wagner said.

In November the DOT erected, on the North Cross Road and Sought Cross Road approaches to Route 55, signs warning drivers of the stop signs ahead.

The DOT erected additional stop signs at the intersections and painted a double yellow, no-passing line on the roads leading to Route 55.

The rural crossroads has been the scene of a number of traffic collisions over the years one of those a fatal on Oct. 22.

That's when two Arlington High School students- Danielle Delgaudio, 16, and Timothy Lawlor, 17 - were traveling in a Jeep from South Cross Road onto Route 55. The Jeep collided with a vehicle traveling east on Route 55.

Delgaudio died at the scene and Lawlor died several days later in the hospital.

1800 signed petition

Shortly after, residents near the intersection collected more than 1,800 signatures, said the intersections was recently the scene of a near-collision. A propane truck traveling on his road ran the stop sign and barely missed being hit by a car on Route 55.

"I think it will definitely make an improvement," McCord said of the flashing signs.

Duchess County Legislator William McCabe, D-Union Vale, who represents that area of LaGrange, said the town board's decision to purchase and install the flashing signs was good news.

McCabe said he knows three Union Vale residents who were involved in separate collisions at the crossroads.

"It's happened again again, and again, " he said.