Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger and Rosendale Town Supervisor Jeanne Walsh received a response earlier this week from the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to their joint letter calling on the agency to improve pedestrian infrastructure at the intersection of State Routes 32 and 213 in Rosendale, where a tragic pedestrian fatality occurred on the evening of January 16.

Regional Director Lance MacMillan responded less than two weeks after receiving the letter, stating that NYSDOT has contracted with an engineering firm to perform an independent study of this intersection. MacMillan wrote that a “comprehensive evaluation will be conducted” to make determinations about potential safety mitigations. The assessment is expected to take about eight weeks.

“I want to thank NYSDOT and Regional Director MacMillan for hearing our concerns and acting quickly to assess pedestrian safety needs at this dangerous intersection of two state roads,” said County Executive Jen Metzger. “Many residents walk in this downtown area, and we hope to see meaningful improvements that will prevent needless tragedies like the death of Victoria Cooper.”

"We appreciate the prompt action taken by NYSDOT and Regional Director MacMillan in addressing our urgent safety concerns,” said Rosendale Town Supervisor Jeanne Walsh. “This independent study is a crucial step toward making our streets safer for pedestrians, and we are hopeful that it will lead to effective and timely improvements at this intersection."

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