By ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

CANTON – After the town submitted a petition request to have a speed limit in Pyrites lowered from 55 to 30 mph, the state DOT has lowered the limit, but to 50 miles per hour instead.

The petition, signed by 32 town residents, was submitted by Randy Sharlow and requests that the speed limit be lowered to 30 miles per hour on County Route 21 Extension (a section of the Canton-Pyrites Road) down to Churchill Street in Pyrites. The petition was circulated in the summer of 2018 and sent to the county and state thereafter.

At a town board meeting Wednesday, Sept. 11, Canton Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley announced the reduction. “The signs are up,” Ashley said. “The resident is not happy.”

Town Highway Superintendent Terry Billings said the state studied traffic patterns and speed along the route to arrive at their decision. Billings said the state felt the 50 mph limit was logical given their information. “You can repetition it till the cows come home, but it will still come back at 50,” Billings said.

“Is that a new number (limit)?” asked Town Councilman Bob Washo.

Billings said he didn’t know of any other 50 mph zones in the state.

“This is the first successful request that I’ve been involved in since I’ve been on the board and I wouldn’t even call it a success,” Washo said.