Lakeside Road permanently closes in Washington Park

ALBANY, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — On Friday, April 26th, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan directed Lakeside Road in Washington Park to permanently close. The move came on the heels of a car crash in the park, a day prior.

Though tickets were not being issued as of the 26th, Sheehan’s office encouraged anyone parked there to move. “We Want to give people the opportunity to move their vehicles. Vehicles that are there for an extended period of time, we are working to track down the owners” Sheehan told NEWS10’s Zion Decoteau on Monday.

Her announcement last Friday included a photo of temporary barriers blocking off the road. She said that the city will install a more permanent closure solution this week as it looks for proper funding.

The city’s Complete Streets Study on the areas of Washington Park and Center Square recommended pedestrian safety and traffic calming improvements, among them closing both Lakeside Road and Sprague Triangle. That’s because cars going too fast create danger for pedestrians and other drivers.

The city will also close Sprague Triangle near Washington Park Playground, but only temporarily. Starting Monday, April 29, the closing of Sprague represents a pilot project demonstrating slowed and reduced traffic where families play.

As for alternative routes to Lakeside Road (a.k.a. Budweiser Way)? “Well, you know, you don’t need that Lake Road, and that’s part of the problem. People were using that road as a way to speed past traffic on Madison Avenue,” Mayor Sheehan said.

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