BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON – Speed and width on the Miner Street Road dominated the public comment session at Wednesday night’s monthly meeting of the Canton Town Board.

At the board’s May meeting, Town Highway Superintendent Steven Smith reported that New York State Department of Transportation design criteria for rural roads may have an effect on how the town approaches the reconstruction project dealing with the width of the road and the accompanying bicycle and pedestrian trails.

An original design called for a 30-foot width with two 10-foot lanes with 5-foot pathways on each side of the road. The project may now shrink four feet with two 10-foot lanes and two 3-foot pathways.

Canton resident Mark McKenna spoke at length about the project, questioning the integrity of the design while offering suggestions.

His concerns also focused on wheelchair accessibility on the path, saying three-foot lanes would not accommodate wheelchairs.

“There is a process and procedure and the public (residents on the Miner St. Road) need to be heard and involved. This is the second public hearing and the town has made a decision without consulting the public. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship,” he said.

“We have one chance to make this right. Put this on pause and go back to the original scope,” said McKenna, alluding to a 2017 scope of work plan by then Highway Superintendent Terry Billings calling for 5-foot shoulders for pedestrian and bicycle use.

He also suggested lowering the speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 20 mph, installing speed bumps and speed cameras.

Miner Street Road residents Brenda and Paul Preston also spoke.

“I appreciate the road being redone but I have concerns about talk of narrowing the road,” said Brenda. “At the top of the hill by the cemetery cars are going super fast.”

“I wonder about the engineering end of this and how well this was planned out,” stated Paul.

Barbara Rogers also supported utilizing speed cameras and suggested a two-way 6-foot pathway on one side of the road.

Deputy Town Supervisor James T. Smith agreed speed is an issue.

“We’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t. We build a new road and there are complaints that traffic is going too fast. Reducing speed limits is not easy to do,” said Smith. “Enforcement is the only way. The day will come when there will be a camera.”

Toby Irven concluded the public comment by presenting the town board with a petition with 45 town athletes. Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley asked Irven to read the petition’s introduction. 

“We, the undersigned participants in the various Stillman-Foote Race Series in Canton are concerned that Miner St. Roads are used by many types of transportation, motorized and non-motorized, including pedestrians and runners. We request the continuance of the speed limit at 30MPH on this approximately 1.0-mile long section of road from the Grasse River Bridge (GRB) to Taylor Park, and the maintenance of a 40 mph limit from Taylor Park to Jingleville Rd. We also petition for the completion of repaving of MSR (GRB to Taylor Park) with 10-ft driving lanes and 5-ft shoulders. Center line and fog line striping must be done and maintained. New informational signage is required.”

The board tabled the Miner Street project agenda item and discussed the matter in a closed session. No action was taken following the executive session, said Ashley.

Also, Smith reiterated his push to continue a 30-miles-per-hour speed limit all the way past the Jingleville Road intersection. That request has been forwarded to the St. Lawrence County Highway Department, who in turn will relay the speed reduction request to the state DOT.