A informational presentation will be held Thursday as the state Department of Transportation prepares to conduct a traffic study along a portion of Route 38A in Owasco, according to Town Supervisor Ed Wagner.
An area near the Tom Thumb Drive-In on Route 38A, otherwise known as East Lake Road, was the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident two weeks ago that resulted in the death of 18-year-old Auburn woman Chloe Calhoun.
Authorities said the accident occurred when Calhoun's SUV was struck from behind by a northbound vehicle operated by Owasco man Dain Schneider. The 33-year-old is facing criminal charges including felony driving while intoxicated.
Since the accident, Wagner said he has gotten more than 20 emails and calls with concerns about the speed along East Lake Road. The speed limit is 55 mph.
The town supervisor said he contacted DOT officials two days after the incident with a request for a traffic study. They agreed.
The traffic study, Wagner said, will take a closer look at an approximately 4-mile stretch of East Lake Road, between Bevier Road and Valentine Road, by evaluating traffic patterns and flows, along with other data.
Thursday's town board meeting will feature a presentation from DOT representatives about what's involved in the study and the possibility of lowering the speed limit, according to the town supervisor. Wagner said it is unclear at this time how long the study might take.
Given its status as a state highway, Route 38A's speed can only be regulated by the state.
"Even though we live in the town of Owasco, we have no say (on the speed limit)," Wagner said.
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Staff writer Greg Mason can be reached at (315) 282-2239 or greg.mason@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @CitizenMason.
