My purpose in suggesting that ramps be built at this location is only meant to promote a dialog on the subject, and to start allowing the residents of the Capital District begin thinking about doing things differently, and not always accept the status quo as we have done for 50 years.

I think the only way the average person ever understands anything is through pocketbook issues, so perhaps I can demonstrate a very simple way that building ramps at this location could improve the lives of residents of the neighborhoods, rather than detracting from it, as you suggest.

Here's the general idea:

Suppose you live someplace near Haswell Rd. and Swatling Rd., and work somewhere on Wolf Rd.

Well, just to get onto the Northway, you'd have to go over the Miller Rd. overpass, over to Johnson Rd., wait for the traffic on Route 9R, then wait at the traffic light at Route 9, then finally get onto the ramp to the Northway. This way added approximately 7-10 minutes of travel time to your morning commute, and adds approximately 2 extra miles to the trip. (And this is all even before you've gotten onto the Northway!)

So you'd have to double that trip (because you go to and from work 5 days a week.)

4 extra miles X 5 days a week = 20 miles a week

20 miles per week X $2.75/gallon = $55.00 a week

Now if you had just been able to get onto Route 7 immediately at a ramp on Miller Rd., the travel time would have been reduced, you wouldn't need to drive all over creation just to get onto the highway, and you wouldn't waste any gas sitting and waiting at traffic lights!

As far as the "there-would-be-more-traffic-through-my-neighborhood" arguement is concerned, this is also a misconception that many people have, and it needs to be disspelled.

Any motorists who want to get onto Route 7 or the Northway are ALREADY driving through your neighborhoods to get there! And anybody who wants to get off of Route 7 and onto a road such as Boght or Miller is still ALREADY cutting through your neighborhoods! They are just currently forced to take much longer ways around to get places!

The way everything is NOW, all the traffic that is going through the neighborhoods bottlenecks at the entrance and exit ramps to the highway. If you let one driver get onto the highway at a ramp which is already closer to where they live, you have removed one vehicle from choking up the entrance or exit ramps in Latham. It's simple math!

This country really needs to modernize our infrastructure which has been severely neglected for years. Smaller projects such as adding highway ramps, building a roundabout, improving an intersection, or studying intermodal transportation systems are paramount to keeping the way of life to which we have become accustomed.

"N.I.M.B.Y. is not the answer anymore!"

"A reduction in traffic congestion anywhere is a reduction in traffic congestion EVERYWHERE!"

Similar response as to your other post about Boght Rd. with a slight twist. I know there's already problems with speeders on Miller Rd. and, although I understand your point, I still have to disagree. I think the speeding problem would worsen in this case especially since the speed limit is lower than on Boght Rd.

The speed limits on BOTH roads should be 40 MPH, because they are exactly the same type of road with exactly the same terrain, and exactly the same amount of residences on them.

Lowering speed limits almost never achieves anything, because then, you have endless chains of slow vehicles tailgating each other, while creating frustration for everyone because they can't get to where they want to go in a reasonable amount of time!

It lowers productivity, because most of people's time is spent stuck in slow traffic all the time!!

Well! We finally agree on something. I too think both roads should be 40 mph for the same reason. In reality, it won't be raised on Miller it'll be lowered on Boght. Still don't agree with putting in new exits though because of non-residents using them for shortcuts and endangering us.

To make a report of an issue with the Town of Colonie, please call 518-783-2700 or email colonie@colonie.org.

This "proposal" would cost probably 20 million dollars to service maybe 500 cars a day. Not only would you need the actual ramps, but then a light at Miller and Johnson and maybe a light at Latham Ridge and Miller. Then you have to consider you are putting high speed traffic onto a 30 mph residential road, one of which that branches off of it has an elementary school. So, besides the enormous cost and the inherent safety risks of anybody who lives there, this is still not a smart complaint. From Miller road overpass to Johnson and miller the "long" way is 2.5 miles. Why would the DOT put a major interchange in to circumvent 2.5 miles? They wouldn't. Also, you wouldn't alleviate too much traffic on Rt 9 and 87 because most of the people going 9 south go straight or get on 87, and the people going north on 9 go straight or turn left onto 87. And people getting off 87 go left or right. So I guess, you are freeing up the limited amount of cars going on columbia street extension. Even if that were to happen, you still have a pile of cars making all of those movements and you still need to have a traffic light there to service all of those. Thereby not alleviating anything.

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