Welch offers response to De-Sign group

Village of Lewiston Mayor Anne Welch, having read the De-Sign Committee letter on this website, issued the following response on Monday:

The proposed bike lane on Cayuga Street will have small directional signs denoting the bike route attached to our existing stop signs. This is a safer alternative route for youths and families to travel instead of the shared bike lane on Center Street. These small signs are designed to direct cyclists through the Village of Lewiston and to the continued bike route to the surrounding communities.

I have not seen the proposed signs yet, but I made them aware that they had to be conscientious of adding additional signs in the village.

This bike trail is a good thing for Lewiston. It brings people into our community to see what businesses, events, history and attractions we have to offer. Bike trail directional signage is important, because people from out of the area need direction to continue on the trail.

As far as placing more signs in the community, we are making an effort on removing signs. You said, “If one sign goes up, one sign comes down.” We recently removed nine street signs along Center Street because they were old and faded and unreadable and we are not replacing them with new signs, so I guess we are ahead by nine.

This is still a work in progress, and we may remove more signs. Keep in mind Center Street is a New York state highway and the Department of Transportation dictates what signs must be installed along the highway for direction, information and safety.

We are currently working with DOT to remove the large, green state highway sign and the large “Welcome to Lewiston” sign at the corner of Ninth and Center Street, and possibly other Center Street signs that may not be needed.

We are also considering removing the old, faded street sign poles at the intersections and replacing them with new street sign poles that will match the existing antique street lights. This is very costly and I have asked DOT to consider replacing street sign poles and signs during the Center Street resurfacing project this year.

I personally invited Mr. Simonson to a NYS DOT meeting regarding the resurfacing of Center Street where he could voice his concerns about the signage and the overhead wires. I have kept him informed about the upcoming schedule for the resurfacing, signs that have been removed, and the possibility of removing utility poles and wires.

At no time did anyone from the De-Sign group contact me or my board members to ask what kind of signage was proposed for the bike trail along Cayuga Street. I have never been invited to any of their meetings, where I would be glad to answer their questions or concerns.

All of the village meetings are open to the public, where their questions and concerns could be answered.

Mayor Anne Welch