Waterford resident challenges police speed study on Oswegatchie Road; department says feedback signs reduce speeds

Bob Lane of 23 Oswegatchie Road told the Board of Police Commissioners he and 35 neighbors dispute the Waterford Police Department's conclusion from a May speed study near Josan Drive and urged further measures to address excessive speeds.

Lane told commissioners the stretch has no sidewalks and that averages in the department report mask the share of vehicles exceeding the posted 30 mph limit. "Average speed simply is NOT a true indicator if speeding actually occurred," he said, adding that his reading of the department's table showed about 43% of northbound vehicles and 26% of southbound vehicles exceeded 30 mph without feedback signs. Lane presented a signed statement and asked the board to consider permanent speed-feedback radar signs along with other measures.

The Traffic Division's May 2026 report, presented by Traffic Officer M. Devine, summarized results from radar feedback signs run in both inactive (no driver-facing display) and active (driver-facing display) modes. The report states: "The data indicate that without speed feedback, average vehicle speeds were 28.8 mph northbound and 26.2 mph southbound. When speed feedback signs were deployed, average speeds decreased to 27.2 mph northbound and 25.5 mph southbound." The report also gave 85th-percentile speeds (no feedback: 35 mph NB, 33 mph SB; with feedback: 33 mph NB, 31 mph SB) and compliance percentages by speed band.

Based on the department's analysis of the collected speed data alone, the report concluded there is "limited engineering justification for reducing the speed limit to 25 mph." The traffic report recorded additional near-term steps: directed enforcement on Oswegatchie Road near Josan Drive during morning and evening hours, coordination with DPW on signage (DPW reported receipt of flashing stop signs for Spithead Road), and follow-up with the state Department of Transportation on other intersection evaluations.

Lane and other residents argued to the board that percent-over-limit metrics are a better measure of the safety problem than simple averages and that permanent feedback signs reduced the share of vehicles exceeding 30 mph in their analysis. The meeting record includes a resident letter asking the department to consider targeted enforcement, temporary radar displays and to make speed data available to residents.

What happens next: the department's report and resident statements are on the public record; the report shows feedback signs reduce measured speeds and the department has directed enforcement and is coordinating with DPW and DOT on additional traffic measures. The commission did not vote on lowering the posted limit during this meeting.