SLINGERLANDS — Local government officials are leading a petition to persuade New York State’s Department of Transportation to address traffic accident problems on Route 85 in Slingerlands. Town board member David DeCancio, along with Albany Ward 8 Council Assemblyman Jack Flynn, say something needs to be done now.

The petition, accessible through Change.org or DeCancio’s Facebook page, asks State DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, “How many more families must be devastated before you act to protect the people who drive this essential state road?” The petition includes several action items, like conducting a safety audit and funding for short term and long term solutions to mitigate the danger.

On its December 9 launch day, over 200 people signed the petition. By print time nearly 600 signatures were collected.

“The situation on Route 85 is completely unacceptable,” said DeCancio. He called upon the State to take responsibility for fixing its design. “The road design is a problem,” he said. “It has aggressive merging areas that pose unnecessary dangers that leave no room for human error.”

“We are doing this because we want the State to be accountable,” Flynn concurred. The petition has already surpassed the 500 signatures Flynn originally hoped for.

Flynn jumped on board with DeCancio because he said many people in his ward use Route 85. He said even more people have been using it as an alternative route since the City of Albany installed traffic cameras on its streets. DeCancio said many people also try to avoid it, but simply cannot and traffic is increasing making action even more important.

DeCancio said the petition, which he anticipates will be submitted to DOT within the next couple of weeks to allow time to garner signatures, is to ensure that DOT hears “the people’s voice.” “I’m standing with people to say: something needs to be done,” DeCancio said.

Flynn said the petition’s purpose is to put pressure on DOT to take action.

Route 85 in Bethlehem in 2023 near the sight of the crash that killed 17-year-old Colonie Senior Michael Klienke.

Accident history and DOT’s inaction
Since 1983, there have been six fatal head-on crashes between Blessing Road and the Albany City line with five of them linked to drug or alcohol impairment.

In October 2024, after the second fatal head-on crash in 12 months, Bethlehem Town Supervisor David VanLuven wrote to the DOT requesting a review of Route 85, from Blessing Road to the Albany City line.

The DOT’s response: there is no reason to change the speed or design of the road.

“In the most recently available three-year period from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023, there were 38 reported crashes on the approximately one-mile stretch between the Blessing Road roundabout and the Albany City line. Of these crashes, 28 were animal-related (27 deer and one coyote),” the letter from DOT Regional Traffic Engineer Michael W. Fenley stated.

“None of the remaining crashes identified unsafe speed as a contributing factor.”

Fenley went on to explain that the two fatal crashes were caused by drivers charged with impairment from alcohol or drugs, noting that this is an enforcement issue rather than a design issue.

Albany and Bethlehem residents continue to be concerned about the road’s safety. The DOT has continued to maintain that, statistically, the road is relatively safe based on three years of crash data. However, those statistics belie the residents’ distress over the fatalities and other injuries occurring on the road.

DeCancio challenged the State’s assessment. “Governing is more than about data or statistics. The question is how do we make the road safer?,” DeCancio asked. He added that the road is solely the responsibility of the State and the town cannot make changes to it.

Human error is not the answer
While some argue the accidents are caused by the drivers not the road, Flynn said that is irrelevant. “If you have a barrier it would prevent an accident from occurring,” said Flynn. DeCancio also insisted this is a design issue and said the point is not driver error, but making the road safer when there is driver error. “If the State takes action, we can lessen fatal head-on collisions,” he said.

“The reality”, said DeCancio, “is that people are driving 55 m.p.h. in two directions and there is a head-on collision, nothing good will come of it.” He continued to stress, “how many more lives must be devastated before the state makes it a top priority to make road safer?”

Flynn and DeCancio both said there are several low cost interventions that DOT could immediately implement, including erecting a barrier, lowering the speed limit, installing rumble strips and adding more signage. While the petition calls for a safety assessment, Flynn said “We don’t need a study for this. The accidents have already occurred and these are common sense solutions.”

Flynn said the petition is just the beginning and he and DeCancio have already enlisted the support of State Assemblyman Scott Bendett and are looking to secure the support of State Senator Patricia Fahey and other state and federal government officials.

DeCancio reported that Bendett has jumped into the cause. Bendett told the board at its December 10 meeting that he has contacted DOT and asked it to take immediate action, like adding barriers.

“This is a time when elected leaders at all levels must stand together and say to DOT, ‘do the right thing’ and make this road safer for everyone,” said DeCancio.

“Anything that saves one accident or one death would be a successful campaign,” Flynn said.