SHERBURNE - The New York State Department of Transportation recently denied residents’ request to lower speed limits along State Route 80 between the Rogers Environmental Education Center and the Village of Smyrna, saying a traffic study found the existing limits appropriate.

The department said it will instead install additional warning signs and make pedestrian-safety improvements near the Rogers Center crosswalk.

The request came from Neighbors of West Sherburne, an association representing about 30 families living along the Route 80 corridor. The group asked NYSDOT to reduce the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph, with a possible reduction to 35 mph in certain areas.

Association members include Mary and Chris Fielding, Dawn Hover, Debra Morris, Bonnie Blanchard and Debbie Rogers.

“Beside the request for speed reduction, we raised concerns over increasing traffic volumes, excessive noise and vibrations, an increase in animal-vehicle collisions; particularly heavy tractor trailers, as well as growing pedestrian and bicycle activity along the highway,” said Hover.

After completing the study, NYSDOT informed the association that a speed reduction was not recommended.

The department instead plans to install “Yield Here to Pedestrians” signs and pavement markings 20 to 50 feet in advance of the Rogers Center crosswalk in both directions. Horse-and-buggy warning signs also will be installed at each end of the studied section.

NYSDOT reviewed the existing signs near the Rogers Center, where the speed limit is 45 mph. The department said the area already has a “45 mph speed limit ahead” sign and an oversized 45 mph speed-limit sign.

They also told the group that the town could purchase and install “Your Speed Is” radar-feedback signs through the department’s highway work permit and use and occupancy permit processes.

Hover noted they explored obtaining speed enforcement display devices for both ends of the highway, yet funding remains an obstacle as the cost is about $4,000 per device and the Town of Sherburne does not have funding to purchase the units.

“Unfortunately, the state is not interested in making significant changes to the roadway or meeting with residents directly,” Hover said. “Basically, they said they don’t want to set a speed trap in the area.”

NYSDOT Public Information Specialist Anya Kardos said safety remains the department’s top priority.

“Following the completion of a traffic study, NYSDOT will install additional safety enhancements in the coming weeks, including new horse-and-buggy warning signs and additional pedestrian caution signs in advance of the Rogers Environmental Education Center crosswalk,” Kardos said.

Kardos said the department has also narrowed travel lanes and widened shoulders along Route 80 in the town of Sherburne to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and other roadway users.

“NYSDOT adheres to state and federal engineering guidelines and evaluates several factors, including roadway geometry and historical traffic patterns, when determining speed limits,” she said.

The department’s April 21 letter to Neighbors of West Sherburne said the traffic study determined that the existing speed limits were appropriate.

NYSDOT said it generally considers the 85th-percentile speed when establishing limits. That is the speed at or below which 85% of motorists are traveling under normal conditions.

According to the department, lowering the speed limit to 45 mph would place 89% of motorists in violation of the posted limit. NYSDOT said its directives generally seek to avoid setting a limit that would place more than 30% of drivers in violation.

The department also said lowering a posted limit does not necessarily produce lower or more uniform travel speeds or improve overall roadway safety. NYSDOT said an improperly low speed limit could be considered unreasonable and difficult to enforce.

Fatal collision led to heightened scrutiny

Residents intensified their efforts following a fatal collision near the Rogers Center on July 4, 2025.

Investigators said a Sherburne man had been walking west along Route 80 that evening when he was struck by an eastbound vehicle. The driver did not stop and continued east on Route 80. He was later arrested and charged.

Hover said the incident heightened awareness and the association sought additional safety measures. The group also requested increased law-enforcement patrols but was told the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office had limited staffing, she said.

Association members have been raising the issue since last year and have met several times with town of Sherburne officials and Highway Superintendent Chase Winston.

“We also sent a letter to Assemblyman Joseph Angelino and Sen. Joseph Griffo,” Hover said. “We did hear back from Angelino, but not Griffo.”

Angelino told the association that NYSDOT generally does not conduct noise studies unless they are connected to capital projects, in which case the work is completed under contract. He also said the department lacks equipment to conduct independent noise testing and has few options for mitigating traffic noise.

“I know the area well, and with the Rogers Center in close proximity, there is an increase of pedestrians crossing and vehicles turning into parking lots,” Angelino said.

Angelino said NYSDOT uses established criteria when considering requests to reduce speed limits and that, in his experience, the department’s formula seldom results in a reduction.

Association member Mary Fielding said the response was concerning because it indicated little could be done about the noise. She urged more consideration to residents’ safety and quality-of-life concerns.

Hover said truck traffic has increased over the past 10 years, beginning as early as 4:30 a.m. and continuing later into the evening. She also said motorists frequently exceed the 55 mph speed limit.

“I’ve lived here for 20 years and have seen changes in the last 10 years with the traffic speed,” Hover said. “Maybe people aren’t giving themselves enough time to get to their location. I don’t know.”

“It’s not just the speed; it’s the noise,” she added. “We get a lot of cargo trucks passing east and west, and that also shakes our homes.”

Association member Deb Morris, who has lived near Route 80 for about 10 years, said she has also noticed increased traffic and speeding in recent years.

She said she has tried several times to run outside and yell at speeding motorists, but added, “They’re gone so quickly.”

In 2024, NYSDOT reviewed more than 2.1 miles of Route 80 after receiving concerns about pavement conditions, infrequent mowing and narrow shoulders. The department subsequently narrowed the travel lanes to provide more than 12 additional inches of shoulder space for pedestrians and bicyclists.