CANTON -- The village and town boards are asking area residents to write state officials to improve safety on Route 11 east of the village. The stretch of road has been the site of numerous accidents, injuries and one death since the beginning of the year. The letter, published in the June 11-17 edition of North Country This Week, follows:

Dear Residents of Canton,

The Canton Village and Town Boards are asking for your assistance.

We need you, as the residents of the Village and Town, to voice your support for the implementation of additional traffic safety measures on Route 11 between Pizza Hut and Frazer Motors.

We are making this request because this stretch of road has been the site of five motor vehicle accidents since January 1, 2021.

Collectively, these five accidents have involved thirteen vehicles and left seven people needing medical attention, and, sadly, one person deceased.

The Village and Town have attempted to rectify this situation since 2018. In addition to making requests to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to reduce the speed limit - which were denied - we have requested that Senator Patty Ritchie and Assemblyman Mark Walczyk pass legislationallowing the municipalities to reduce the speed limit. While the Assembly bill did not leave committee during the 2019-2020 session, both bills have been reintroduced this legislative session.

 We are grateful to our elected state leaders for their continued advocacy, including a letter sent to the DOT on our behalf. The Village Board has again passed a Home Rule law requesting authority to decrease the speed limit on the hazardous stretch of Route 11.

However, given the number and severity of the accidents that have already occurred, we are concerned that without immediate action, we will see further accidents and additional loss of life.

We know from conversations with community members that you share ourconcerns; we need you to put these concerns into writing to help us and our state leaders advocate for traffic safety measures. We would like to be able to bring your concerns to further discussions with the Department of Transportation.

We are asking residents to please write a letter or send an email to NYS DOT Regional Director Kenneth Bibbins, DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, Senator Patty Ritchie, and Assemblyman Mark Walczyk. Share your concerns and encourage them to immediately work with the Village and Town of Canton to put appropriate and adequate traffic safety measures in place.

Please write these officials with your concerns:

DOT Commissioner

Marie Therese Dominguez Esq.

DOT - Commissioner’s Office

50 Wolf Rd.

Albany NY 12232

Marietherese.dominguez@dot.ny.gov

DOT Reg 7 Director

Kenneth Bibbins

DOT - Dulles State Office Bldg.

317 Washington St.

Watertown NY 13601

Ken.bibbins@dot.ny.gov

New York State Assemblyman

Mark Walczyk

3 Remington Avenue

Canton, NY 13617

walczykm@nyassembly.gov

New York State Senator

Patty Ritchie

330 Ford Street

Ogdensburg, NY 13669

ritchie@nysenate.gov

We appreciate your assistance in furthering the public safety of our community.

Mayor Michael Dalton and the Village of Canton Board of Trustees Carol Pynchon, Beth Larrabee, Klaus Proemm, and Anna Sorensen Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley and the Canton Town Council Jim Smith, Bob Washo, Dave Nelson, and Martha Foley Smith