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| Big changes (if approve) on 4th Avenue, especially S53/S93 bus stops changes (276162) | |||
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Big changes (if approve) on 4th Avenue, especially S53/S93 bus stops changes |
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Posted by Gold_12th on Thu May 16 14:26:55 2013 Fourth Avenue to get Herald Square-esque pedestrian barriers near 86th Street  Manhattan-style pedestrian barricades could come to Bay Ridge if the latest draft of the city’s plan for Fourth Avenue goes through. The Department of Transportation unveiled a tweaked version of the proposed overhaul of the corridor that it first showed off at a March 21 public forum to Community Board 10 on May 13— and among the alterations to the plan is a metal barrier similar to the once-controversial pedestrian blockades along Broadway and Sixth Avenue near Herald Square. The fence would stretch from 86th Street halfway down the block to 87th Street, on the side nearest Third Avenue, ensuring no jaywalking takes place in that area. City representatives said the department of transportation is reluctant to install the corral, but said that the agency had decided it was necessary to prevent pedestrians from crossing mid-block. “This is not one of our favorite things to do, but we believe it would improve safety,” said spokesman Jesse Mintz-Roth. The pedestrian fences caused controversy when they first appeared in Manhattan, but have since become commonplace in areas where pedestrian traffic is heavy — or where it could be dangerous to cross the street because of oncoming automobiles. The pedestrian corrals already exist in Brooklyn on Jay Street near the Manhattan Bridge off-ramp, where cars flow from the bridge on to local streets toward the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. No CB10 member objected to the idea at the meeting, and board member Andrew Gounardes even suggested putting a second fence stretching from 87th Street halfway to 86th on the side toward Fifth Avenue to keep people inside the crosswalks. A car struck and killed a woman crossing Fourth Avenue halfway between 86th and 87th streets on April 1. But Mintz-Roth admitted that most car-pedestrian collisions occur in the crosswalk, while the pedestrian has the light — which is why the plan still includes an elevated concrete island in the middle of the southern side of the 86th Street and Fourth Avenue intersection to provide refuge. The design would extend the bus stop on the side nearest Third Avenue down to 87th Street, and convert the right hand lane along those blocks to a buses-only corridor. The revised vision has the city also stripping away a lane between 95th and 101st streets on the Sunset Park-bound side to slow down drivers coming off the Belt Parkway. The updated plan would also relocate eight parking spots from Fourth Avenue between 65th and 66th streets to Shore Road Drive, creating a new lane to reduce congestion. The design still shaves the thoroughfare down to a single lane in each direction for 13 blocks between Ovington Avenue and 86th Street, widens parking lanes, and creates a left turn bay at 75th Street. Mintz-Roth, who used to work for car-critic group Transportation Alternatives, argued that the plan would slow down Fourth Avenue speeders and curb the recent spate of pedestrian collisions. “We’re looking to get drivers out of the highway mindset,” said Mintz-Roth. But CB10 member Allen Bortnick accused Mintz-Roth of trying to scare people into voting for the revamp, which he claimed would result in chaos on the roadway. “This plan stinks. This is going to create congestion at 86th and Fourth Avenue the likes of which you have never seen,” said Bortnick. “You people don’t know what you’re doing.” But Mintz-Roth claimed that the city’s computer models showed that the plan would only tack a few minutes onto Fourth Avenue commutes. “You would notice it, but it wouldn’t be a traffic jam,” he said. The board will not vote on the proposal until after a larger public hearing scheduled for June 5. Public Forum on Department of Transportation Proposal for Fourth Avenue at Saint Anselm’s Church [365 83rd Street, between Third and Fourth avenues in Bay Ridge] June 5, 7:15 pm. - http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/36/20/br_newfourthavenue_2013_05_17_bk.html After months of processing data and feedback, the Department of Transportation unveiled plans for the Fourth Avenue Redesign at Community Board 10’s Traffic and Transportation Committee meeting held at its district offices on Monday, May 13. The plans are only proposed. None of the changes will be implemented until after a public forum is held and the full community board votes. Jesse Mintz-Roth, a DOT planner, presented the plans. Going north on Fourth Avenue, the proposed changes are as follows: At the intersection of Shore Road, DOT suggests extending the curbs to shorten crossing, extending the corner near the Belt Parkway exit ramp to slow down turns and upgrading crosswalks to high visibility, which includes using more vibrant paint. From 101st Street to 95th Street, DOT says traffic can be calmed by reducing northbound traffic to one lane coming off the Belt Parkway exit. “It will change that highway mindset,” Mintz-Roth explained. Between 95th and 87th Streets, as well as between Ovington Avenue and 67th Street, which are commercial zones, DOT suggests creating a nine-foot-long parking lane, refurbishing markings and adding missing school crosswalks. DOT will also do a survey on loading zones, to see if and where the community would like them. From 88th to 86th Streets, which is the most congested area, DOT proposes adding a six-foot wide pedestrian refuge island at the southern crosswalk at 86th Street; adding a southbound left turn bay and adding a red curb bus lane to the western curb. The special bus lane includes an 80-foot-long No Stopping Anytime zone with fencing to discourage pedestrians from crossing in the middle of the street, as well as drop-offs. The block between 87th and 88th Streets would be the first stop of the S53 and S93 bus. This would result in losing four metered parking spaces. Between 86th and 87th Street, the S53 would have its last stop and layover. “The overall operation of the bus would remain the same. It would just be moved 80 feet south,” Mintz-Roth said. For the stretch between 86th Street and Ovington Avenue, which has the most speeding, DOT suggests reducing the number of moving traffic lanes from two to one in each direction; installing a 13-foot wide parking lane with a flush painted median and adding left turn bays to each signalized intersection. At the intersection of Bay Ridge Parkway, DOT proposes extending the northeast curb to shorten the north crossing and slow westbound right turns. Between Shore Road Drive and 65th Street, DOT suggests removing the parking spots on the east curb between 65th and 66th Streets to create a second through lane; create one eastbound through lane off the Belt Parkway off-ramp onto Shore Road Drive and create an extra entrance lane on Shore Road Drive. The eight parking spots on Fourth Avenue will be relocated to the south curb of Shore Road Drive between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Most board members said they welcomed the changes for the most part. “As the mother of a nine-year-old, I feel very positive about this,” commented Liz Amato. Jean Ryan asked about installing auditory signals at dangerous crossings like 86th Street and Bay Ridge Parkway. “It’s totally confusing. It’s so noisy that it’s hard to tell where the traffic is coming from,” she explained. However, Allen Bortnick expressed his disgust with the plan. “This plan stinks,” he said to Mintz-Roth. “I am willing to work with you and give ideas that can be possible, but there is nothing going on here but compartmentalization. You people are a big joke to me because you don’t know what you are doing.” Residents will have a chance to sound off on the proposal at a public forum to be held on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:15 p.m. at St. Anselm’s School Auditorium, 365 83rd Street. "It’s great getting your input on this,” Mintz-Roth said. “It’s so important to the proposal.” - http://www.homereporternews.com/news/general/dot-unveils-fourth-avenue-safety-improvements/article_3b8277b0-bcd8-11e2-b308-0019bb2963f4.html |
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