Rhinebeck Town Board Imposes Weight Limit on Road to Thwart Mining Operations
The Rhinebeck Town Board in New York is moving to impose a 25-ton weight limit on vehicles using White Schoolhouse Road. This action is aimed at preventing the proposed Red Wing Sand and Gravel mining operations from restarting. Concerns about heavy truck traffic on the rural road have persisted for over two decades, dating back to when the mining company first sought to resume operations on a 94-acre section adjacent to a previously depleted mine. Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia highlighted that the potential for large-scale industrial mining on White Schoolhouse Road has been a long-standing worry during her 15 years on the board. The town commissioned a traffic engineering firm, CPO, to update a study on the road's safety. Based on their reanalysis, which considered sight distances, road conditions, and geometry, the firm recommended limiting mining trucks. Residents, such as Sarah Bowen, have provided eyewitness accounts of numerous accidents, injuries, deaths, and property damage at the intersection, emp...
