To the Editor:

The Capital District Transportation Authority is planning improved bus service to Crossgates Mall. The “purple line” will be a rapid bus service with limited stops. Two roundabouts will be constructed on the Crossgates ring road along with a widening of a portion of the ring road and changes in the University at Albany and Harriman campus roads that the “purple line” will travel through.

This is marvelous but not sufficient.

These improvements are as much a gift to Crossgates as a tax exemption. If a tax exemption were granted it would be expected that Crossgates would promise one or more improvements — better pay for employees, better fringe benefits for employees, more employment at Crossgates, or civic betterment such as providing a playground or contributions for town betterments (Crossgates is in the town of Guilderland).

However, the most important betterment would be the widening of the access ramp that connects the Northway to the Crossgates ring road. Presently the ramp is dangerous and persons have died at its intersection with the Northway.

Locally elected government officials that I have talked with (town and county) are in favor of rebuilding the access ramp. So are residents of McKownville.

Certainly, the New York State Police and other first responders who risk their lives by directing traffic on the Northway near the access ramp on busy shopping days can be expected to be in favor. Several state legislators are in favor as well. 

Crossgates has become a better citizen in the past 30-plus years. However, it is likely that Crossgates will argue that rebuilding of the access ramp is not necessary and too expensive. (Auto companies once argued that safety glass in cars was too expensive and not necessary— this joins a long list of similar claims from railroads, chemical firms, trucking firms, steel companies, etc. etc. etc. Profit trumps consumer and employee safety for most corporations when safety improvements are proposed).

Please write to your state legislative members (mine are Senator George Amedore and Assemblywoman Pat Fahy) and other locally elected government officials and demand that either the access road be rebuilt or CDTA should delay construction of the “purple line.”

Contact information is as follows: Senator George A. Amedore Jr., 46th Senate District Legislative Office Building, Room 802, Albany, NY 12247, (455-2350, amedore@nysenate.gov);  Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, Assembly District 109, Legislative Office Building, Room 452, Albany, NY 12248, (455-4178, fahyp@assembly.state.ny.us).

Bryan Clenahan and Al Maikels asked that their names be included in the email sent by the McKownville Improvement Association to residents, asking that the Crossgates access ramp be rebuilt and to contact local government officials. Contact Bryan Clenahan, Albany County Legislator, 30th District, bry94@aol.com, 227-0105; Al Maikels, Guilderland Town Board member, 456-4105, afmcpa@yahoo.com; and Mary Lou Connolly, Albany County Legislator, 32nd District, 518-271-1394, maryloubc@acmenet.net.

Don Reeb

Guilderland

Editor’s note: Don Reeb is president of the McKownville Improvement Association.