Traffic Bureau Supervisor
Sergeant Tim
Dacey
Traffic
Bureau Clerk
Cindy Held
The Elmira Police Department Traffic Bureau is responsible for compliance of all motor vehicle laws, traffic accident documentation and investigation, accident reconstruction, and follow-up of all hit and run accidents in the City of Elmira. The Traffic Bureau oversees the hiring and deployment of crossing guards, manages special events and street closures, enforces parking regulations throughout the City, arranges police escorts for funeral processions and oversized vehicles, manages vehicle impounds and abandoned vehicle enforcement, and provides public services such as presentations, crime prevention tips, and traffic safety information.
Traffic Accidents and Police Reports
In 2010 The Elmira Police Department investigated 1,147 Motor Vehicle Accidents. Of those accidents, 117 were injury accidents and 2 were fatal accidents. The driving errors that occurred the most often in traffic accidents were following too closely, failure to yield the right of way, unsafe backing, and hit-and-run.
If you are involved in a traffic accident, whether major or minor,
you should always report it. Use a cell phone or nearby phone to
call 911 and report the accident. Tell the dispatcher of any injuries to
yourself or anyone else involved. If there are no injuries, tell the dispatcher
that you need a police officer on the scene for a police report.
All accidents with a personal injury or with $1,000 of
damage to a vehicle MUST be reported by law. Most insurance
companies require a police report for any claim that is filed for an accident.
DO NOT exchange information with the other driver and expect to
file a police report later. This often results in a delayed investigation that
may be inconclusive. The other driver may change his or her story, and the
Traffic Bureau may not be able to determine who is telling the truth. Tell the
other driver that you have called for a police officer so a police report can be
filed and to please wait until the officer arrives. They should not leave the
scene until the officer completes the investigation. If there are any witnesses
present, ask them to wait for the officer to arrive. If they cannot wait, get
their name and phone number (address and license plate number are also useful).
Tell witnesses that the police should be contacting them regarding the
accident.
Copies of completed accident reports (MV-104) are available from the Department of Motor Vehicles for involved parties approximately 14 to 21days after the accident has been reported. Accident reports are also available through the Elmira Police Department at 317 E. Church St. Elmira, NY 14901 or on-line at:
Elmira Police Department Accident Reports On-line
Traffic Safety Data for Chemung County
To obtain an accident report from the Department of Motor Vehicles, click the button below to search the DMV website for the accident report or complete and submit DMV Form 198C, available below.
If you are in or if you witness a serious accident, render any
assistance you can without putting yourself in danger. Call 911 or tell someone
else to call 911 immediately. Do not move an injured person unless they are in
danger from fire or other hazards. Wait for police, fire, and EMTs to respond
and follow their directions upon arrival. Be prepared to provide as much
information about the accident as possible, including the number of people in a
vehicle, if known, and where they currently are. Emergency personnel will need
to verify the whereabouts of everyone involved in the accident.
Abandoned Vehicles and Vehicle Problems
Vehicles that are left abandoned on City streets are towed
and impounded if the owner cannot be contacted. If your vehicle breaks down or
you experience problems that prevent you from moving the vehicle, leave a note
on the windshield, or place a towel, jacket, shirt, or brightly colored clothing
in the window to indicate an emergency situation. Call the Communications Center
at (607) 735-8600 and tell the dispatcher where your vehicle is, the problem you
are encountering, and when you expect to be able to move the vehicle. If the
vehicle is in a heavy-traffic area, call 911 and request an officer to provide
assistance and traffic diversion (if necessary).
To report an abandoned
vehicle in your neighborhood or on the streets of the City of Elmira, call the
Elmira Police Department at (607) 737-5641 or the Communications Center at (607)
735-8600.
Vehicle Impound Information
City ordinance prohibits the storage of any motor vehicle that is not
legally registered, insured, and licensed. Vehicles in violation of this
ordinance may be towed away at the owner’s expense. Vehicles that are illegally
parked or abandoned on City streets may also be towed away at the owner’s
expense.
If your vehicle is towed by the City of Elmira, you will need to
go to the Elmira Police Department Records Bureau, located in the Elmira Police
Department Annex Building at 312 Lake Street, across the street from City Hall
on the corner of Lake and Church Streets.
The Records
Bureau is open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 3:30pm. Go to the window
and tell the clerk that your vehicle has been towed and you wish to retrieve
it. PLEASE CALL AHEAD IF POSSIBLE - (607)737-5633
To
retrieve your vehicle, you will need to pay the towing and storage fees (below)
as well as correcting any legal problems that would prevent the vehicle from
being driven (such as unlicensed, unregistered, or uninsured) unless the vehicle
is towed from the impound lot.
Once your vehicle has been cleared for
retrieval, go to the Impound Lot in front of the Department of Public Service at
840 Linden Place Extension from 1:00pm to 1:30pm Monday through Friday or by
appointment. A Traffic Bureau officer will meet you at the impound lot to
retrieve your vehicle.
Crossing Guards
The Elmira Police Department is always looking for
substitute crossing guards for hire. Substitutes will report to one of 28
different locations twice per day when a regular crossing guard is unable to
report to duty. Substitute candidates are required to have a phone, adequate
transportation (motor vehicle), and be available for call in between 5:30am and
6:30am. Crossing guards are responsible for crossing elementary children only,
except on Clemens Center Parkway. Full-time crossing guards are hired from the
best substitutes. Regular crossing guards receive all school holidays off and
vacation pay through the summer. They also receive a $125 clothing allowance.
All crossing guards receive a vest, cones, stop sign, badge, and ball
cap.
Those individuals interested in employment as a substitute crossing
guard should complete the City of Elmira Employment Application and submit it to
the Elmira Police Department Traffic Bureau. A criminal background check,
physical, and urinalysis are also required prior to employment.
download employment application
Mail completed application to:
Elmira Police Department
Traffic Bureau
317 E. Church Street
Elmira, NY 14901
Requests for Signage on City Streets
If you notice a sign is missing, damaged, or
blocked by trees or other obstructions, report it directly to the Department of
Public Works .
Please include Streets Division in the subject line, and specify the type of
sign which needs to be replaced and what street/intersection the sign is
on.
All new signage on the streets of the City of Elmira must first be
approved by the Traffic Coordinating Board. If you feel your neighborhood needs
a Highway Environment Sign such as a Deaf/Blind Child Area Sign or a specific
Crossing Sign such as a Pedestrian Crossing or Deer Crossing sign, you will need
to complete the Application for Highway Environment or Crossing Sign. If you
feel your neighborhood is in need of a stop sign or other traffic control
device, complete the Multi-Way Stop Sign Control Application.
These
applications will be reviewed by the Traffic Coordinating Board, the Traffic
Bureau, the Streets Division, the Fire Department, the City Engineer, and the
City Manager to determine the need and impact from the addition of signage.
Please understand that certain local, state, and federal laws may limit the
city's ability to place signage in particular areas. Research, traffic
observation, and surveying may be necessary before any new signage can be
approved.
For all other requests for signage, parking, street closings,
traffic violations, or other safety concerns regarding City streets, complete
the Application for Traffic Coordinating Board Review. All applicants will be
required to attend the TCB meeting if your item is scheduled for review.
Application for Traffic Coordinating Board Review
Application for Highway Environment or Crossing Sign
Multi-Way Stop Sign Control Application
Parking Regulations and Enforcement
The Traffic
Bureau oversees the Parking Enforcement Division. Parking Enforcement monitors
parking meters, parking lots, and garages in the City of Elmira.
Parking
regulations are not supposed to cause a hassle for our citizens and visitors to
our City. It is designed to ensure a safe traffic flow, permit access for Public
Works during inclement weather, and provide a consistent turnover of clients and
shoppers in the Downtown District.
Follow the tips and advice in the
Citizens Guide to Parking to prevent yourself from being ticketed or
towed and to ease the frustration of parking your motor vehicle in the City of
Elmira.
A Citizens Guide to
Parking
Public Services
The Traffic Bureau provides public services such as funeral and oversize vehicle escorts, crime prevention presentations, child safety materials, and neighborhood watch information. If you are in need of these services or if you would like to schedule a presentation, contact the Traffic Bureau by phone at (607) 737-5641 or click here to send an email.