By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

The Van Buren Town Board voted June 16 to send a request to the New York State Department of Transportation to standardize the speed limit on Van Buren Road.

Supervisor Claude Sykes said resident William Weston approached the town about the speed limit on the road. There are 13 speed limit changes on Van Buren Road. Sykes said Weston lives between Peck and Brickyard roads.

“He sat in his yard for half an hour and did kind of a traffic study — unscientific, he admits — but he thinks with all these changes and truck traffic especially down in his area … and he would like to see it reduced. He is the only area that is 55 mph,” Sykes said.

Councilor Wendy Van Der Water observed that it is “typically difficult” to get the state DOT to approve speed limit reduction requests.

“Some that we didn’t think would get approved did and one that we thought was a slam dunk that would get approved didn’t, so you never know,” Sykes said.

Sykes said he has warned homeowners that speed limit changes are not up to the town. If it does grant the town’s request, the state would decide the new speed limit.

“When you get to [the town of] Camillus, it’s 35 all the way because they have a police department. They can set their own speed limits. We don’t, so we have to go to the state,” Sykes said.

Deputy Supervisor Mary Frances Sabin said the number of speed limit changes throughout Van Buren Road poses a challenge to drivers.

“Where it says 45, people are going 55. Where it says 35 going into Camillus, you have to really slam on the brakes to make sure you hit 35 because they do patrol that area,” she said.

Mobile Mammography Van returns Aug. 3

Van Buren residents will have an opportunity to schedule an appointment with Upstate University Hospital’s Mammography Van between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3. The van will visit Van Buren Town Hall, located at 7575 Van Buren Road in Baldwinsville.

The van, which is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “Get Screened, No Excuses” Breast Cancer Initiative, is funded by a NYS Department of Health grant. The 45-foot-long van is equipped with a state-of-the art 3D digital mammogram system, private exam and dressing room and a waiting room.

Mobile mammogram appointments are open to women 40 or older who have not had a mammogram in the past 12 months and are not currently experiencing breast problems. To schedule an appointment, visit upstate.edu/mobile-mammography or call 315-464-2582.