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Among the methods under consideration to slow traffic on Hyde Boulevard by Malta Avenue Elementary School (pictured) in Ballston Spa, N.Y., are speed bumps, speed dips and a crosswalk.

Exterior view of Malta Avenue Elementary School in Ballston Spa, N.Y. 

BALLSTON SPA – Village officials may install speed bumps or speed dips on Hyde Boulevard to combat speeding near the Malta Avenue Elementary School.

“The primary concern was the safety of their children crossing to walk to the Malta Avenue school,” said Ballston Spa Central School District Facilities Director Ed Martin in a Zoom meeting with village Mayor Frank Rossi, Jr.

They met with residents to discuss possible solutions. Some ideas, including a crosswalk, got lukewarm support from Hyde Boulevard residents. They said crosswalk paint fades and is easily ignored, so they need a physical barrier to keep pedestrians safe. But some said they don’t love the prospect of having to regularly drive over speed bumps to get home.

Speed bumps are effective, Rossi said.

“Speed bumps is one of those things I keep hearing a sharp divide from. They are effective to slow people down,” he said. “It’s really something we’re going to have to get buy-in from residents on. If you live there, you’ll have to go over them all the time. It’s a tough call always to impose speed bumps on somebody.”

Martin suggested speed dips, which he said worked better at another school property. They replaced speed bumps with dips there due to complaints.

“The complaints that we got were cars bottoming out and it made it very difficult to plow,” Martin said. “So we put in speed dips. Those seemed easier for us to maintain. You still have to slow down.”

Another option residents supported was a crosswalk with a “bump out,” which narrows the road slightly to create a physical indication of where the crosswalk begins and ends. It also shortens the pedestrian’s path, and can be designed to not impede plows, Rossi said.

There's also the possibility of installing sidewalks on Hyde Avenue, but that's a "thornier issue" because usually each property owner must pay for them and maintain them, Rossi said.

"We're not allowed to give gifts, and a sidewalk is a gift," he said.

Some residents said they welcome any realistic solution, even speed bumps, at this point.

“I’m happy that they’re being considered,” Nicholas Baish said. “I feel like I would not like riding over them with my bike or my car. I’m not in full support but I like that the idea is being thrown around to slow down traffic. I like the sound of speed dips, I’m not sure why.”

Resident Mary Ann Priest said she’d prefer a crosswalk.

“If you’re going to put something in, dips sound better,” she added. “The wear and tear on the vehicles – that’s a lot for the vehicles that are in the neighborhood every day.”

The decision will have to be made – and funded – by the village; the school district cannot make improvements to property it does not own. No decisions were made Wednesday.

"This is a beginning-stage conversation," Rossi said, adding that the village and school boards will use the proposals "to sort things out."

Kathleen grew up in Glenville and now lives in Schenectady. She has covered the Capital Region for various newspapers since 2000, focusing on the interesting people who breathe life into their towns, villages and cities. She is the Times Union's education reporter. You can reach her at Kathleen.Moore@timesunion.com or 518-918-5497.