At its July 13th meeting, the Ashland Town Board approved a resolution authorizing Town Supervisor Vern Robinson to request a reduction of the current maximum speed on State Route 427 of fifty five miles per hour from the State of New York Department of Transportation to a safer speed limit.
The section of road, known as Lower Maple Avenue, is approximately 3.2 miles and runs from the Wellsburg Village line to the Town of Southport line. The reason for the request is in response to the numerous accidents on that road that have caused serious injury or death in the past several years. The town has made the request to the state on several occasions but the state in the past has refused to lower the speed.
Chemung County legislator Rodney J. Strange from the 15th legislative district is coordinatong the effort for the Town of Ashland. Strange has begun a petition drive to demonstrate the support lowering the speed limit has among residents, farmers, and businesses along that stretch of highway. He plans to seek the support of the county Legislature’s Highway Committee at its meeting next week for a resolution asking the state to reduce the speed limit. If it is passed by the Highway Committee it would then go to the full Legislature for approval at its regular meeting on August 8th.
This is the first time the county Legislature has been asked to pass a resolution concerning this stretch of roadway. Strange asks anyone in the county who supports the effort, to sign a petition at one of the following locations:
Bradley Farms – 1543 Maple Avenue.
Maple Lawn Dairy and Restaurant – 3162 Lower Maple Avenue.
Ashland Town Hall – 3663 Sixth St. in Wellsburg.
State Line Mart – 9Main St. in Wellsburg.
Petitions will be available through August 8th.