The village and police chief say the UCAT bus stop at the intersection of Main and West Bridge streets is unsafe because when stopped, half the bus juts out onto Main St.
The Village Board would like to see the stop moved back to the intersection of Jane and West Bridge streets, but Trustee Vince Buono said he was told by Ulster County Area Transit that if the village moved the stop it would liable for any future pedestrian or vehicle accidents.
A baffled Mayor William Murphy asked, “It’s their bus stop, it’s their bus, it’s their bus driver, and we’d be liable?”
“We told them it’s unsafe where it is now and that it would be safer further back from the intersection, and they say we’re liable,” said Police Chief Joseph Sinagra.
Confused by UCAT officials’ reaction, trustees will be contacting the county attorney for an explanation. In the meantime, the village will move the bus stop.
For several months, trustees Terry Parisian and Buono, as well as Sinagra and business owners near the stop have talked about the unsafe condition that is created by where the bus stops.