DOT Explains Vestal Parkway Intersection Changes

Some drivers who use Route 434 in Vestal are questioning the removal of some acceleration and turn-off lanes on the heavily-traveled roadway.

Changes were made at several intersections during a recent repaving project along the Vestal Parkway.

One listener to WNBF's "Binghamton Now" program said he viewed the reconfigured lanes as "more dangerous than before" the work was done.

He noted the changes mean motorists now must stop and make turns from what had been a driving lane. He said the changes were "very noticeable" at some of the busiest intersections.

David Hamburg, a New York State Department of Transportation spokesman, said the changes were made to help accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.

Hamburg noted acceleration lanes were "using the entire shoulder making it unusable for bikes and pedestrians." He said that also was the case at locations where changes were made to right-turn lanes.

In some cases, acceleration lanes were removed because some drivers used them to accelerate while others came to a full stop and waited for a gap in traffic before entering the parkway.

Hamburg said those cases can result in more accidents and "increased driver frustration."