NEW BERLIN – After an extensive months-long process, the New Berlin Police Departments says it has completed Phase One of an ongoing action plan to make the busy Route 8 corridor in the Town of New Berlin a little safer for residents and motorists.
The department called a press conference Tuesday to announce their efforts to limit tractor trailer accidents in the Town of New Berlin have thus far paid off. The continuing initiative, originally set in motion in June, was sparked by an increasing number of tractor trailer rollovers and local residents’ complaints of tractor trailers traveling at excessive speeds on the winding state Route 8. Phase one took aim at tractor trailer drivers who were driving recklessly as well as the level of safety of their rig.
“Phase One included safety inspections of the tractor trailer and their drivers,” explained New Berlin Police Chief Dominick C. Commesso. “Our goal with all this is not to deter truck traffic in the town, but to limit the number of accidents and increase the level of safety on Route 8. It’s all about keeping our roads safe.”
During the inspections, New Berlin officers conducted a total 12 details (occasions when tractor trailers traveling through the Town of New Berlin were pulled off the road for a full inspection), and completed 35 level one inspections. The process has so far led to a total 49 citations. Since it started four months ago, the police department reported there have not been any tractor trailer accidents in the Town of New Berlin.
In June, New Berlin police worked in conjunction with the New York State Motor Carrier Safety to conduct tractor trailer inspections. The endeavor led to more than 70 trucks stopped in the first four and half hours after the detail began. The police department hopes that by continuing similar efforts in the future, the mass number of tractor trailer accidents in the Town of New Berlin will become a thing of the past.
While many local residents have blamed the number of tractor trailer rollovers in recent years on the fast-paced growth of the greek yogurt manufacturer Chobani in South Edmeston, the company actually has little to do with it, noted New Berlin Police Captain Edward McCulskey. Many of the estimated 300-plus commercial vehicles traveling Route 8 in New Berlin are drivers going from Binghamton to Utica, he said.
“What we are finding now is that professional truck drivers are networking and word is getting out that we are doing inspections,” McCulskey added. “A lot of drivers are now taking alternative routs in Otsego County, around New Berlin, which is a concern ... Our goal is to collaborate with other (departments) to make roadways safer for everyone.”
While conducting inspections has shown to drastically decrease the number of tractor trailer accidents in the Town of New Berlin, it does come at a cost to the police department. The department’s budgeted labor line took a hit in the process, said Commesso; however, the town intends to allocate funds from another line in the police department’s budget to offset the need for additional man hours.
Commesso said the department is currently seeking grant funds to help with Phase Two, which entails paving a designated spot along Route 8 where tractor trailers can safely pull off the road. Currently, the New Berlin police are working with the Unadilla Valley Central School District to utilize its parking lot for inspections.
“This has been a huge success for us,” said Commesso. “It is our responsibility to keep area residents safe and that includes all traffic.”