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August 25, 2009

Kent Traffic Shifts to Wythe

As we have been discussing, the Department of Transportation implemented one-way traffic on a portion of Kent Avenue, between Clymer and Broadway (download the plan from the DOT website). Since Kent Avenue was a major southbound thoroughfare, many trucks, cars, and construction vehicles have rerouted one block east to Wythe Avenue. The DOT, in its objectives for the restructuring of Kent Avenue, planned to install "new guide signs to inform truckers and other motorists of preferred routes: Greenpoint Avenue, McGuinness Boulevard, and Meeker Ave./BQE." Currently, there is a sign on Kent Avenue, north of Broadway where traffic still runs two ways, reminding vehicles to turn left on Broadway, but no other signage telling drivers to continue on any recommended route. As when the DOT proposed these changes, some residents are concerned for public safety. One reader wrote to us saying, "it will probably take a major accident, hit-and-run, or other tragedy to get the DOT to consider policing the change in traffic pattern and to direct trucks to the correct route." Hopefully it will not be so extreme, and the DOT can find an effective method for managing the southbound traffic. GMAP
Kent Ave Goes One-way Today [Brownstoner]
The Kent Avenue Conundrum [Brownstoner]
Boiling Point for Kent Avenue Bike Lane [Brownstoner]




Posted by jscheff at 11:15 AM | Comments (19)
Categories: Streets, Williamsburg

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Comments

Wasteful micromanging of our lives in the middle of a recession.

Is this the most pressing thing that Mayor Mike and the bike nazi Khan can think of?

Kent, the way it was was one of the great pleasures of the neighborhood.

Now Wythe will become a traffic accident waiting to happen.

Posted by: therealflyintheointment at August 25, 2009 11:30 AM

Kent was a "great pleasure"? It was a highway-like street with out-of-control speeding traffic. This change will be wonderful.

Posted by: zinka at August 25, 2009 11:34 AM

zinka: one-way streest have higher traffic speeds than two-way streets.

Posted by: dittoburg at August 25, 2009 11:53 AM

ditto: Often, but not always. Perceived width and number of obstacles (e.g. parked cars) has more to do with it. In this case, the new traffic lane will be 10-11' with parked cars on either side. Drivers won't drive fast under those circumstances. Previously, there was more like 20' clear each way counting the bike lanes. Drivers ZOOM under those circumstances.

Posted by: zinka at August 25, 2009 11:57 AM

I was outside from 6:00 to 6:30 last night, and it was a total s***show. I saw at least three 18 wheelers disregard the signage and barricade to continue southbound south of Broadway. Wythe was a nightmare to cross, something it never was before.

I think the great pleasure was having a north/south throughfare. Its something I'm going to miss.

20 feet clear each way? What street were you diving on?

This is a disater waiting to happen says the guy who lives on Kent.

Posted by: quetal at August 25, 2009 12:32 PM

*driving

Posted by: quetal at August 25, 2009 12:35 PM

According to the DOT, the previous layout was 19'-20' wide in each direction, including the bike lane and buffer. Stripes aren't physical objects, so they don't generally slow drivers down. It was a total speedway.

There are certainly some short-term pains as people get used to the new layout, but I think in a few months we'll be really happy with it.

Posted by: zinka at August 25, 2009 12:36 PM

zinka's right - not sure what people are complaining about. Kent was essentially a highway, and this will make it safer. DOT will be pressured into putting up better signage and trucks will eventually be detoured properly - what, you expected things would be running 100% smoothly instantly? Let's be real here.

Posted by: bjw2103 at August 25, 2009 12:44 PM

I expect the city government to do what is best for the enitre community. Making Kent 1 way isn't best for everyone, its best for a few. It sure isn't best for those who live work ,and play on wythe. Enforcement of the traffic laws might have been a good start. Speedbumps would have been another. Hey, how about a few more stop signs? I think that might have cost less than the 3.5 mill the city dumped to change this over.

"DOT will be pressured into putting up better signage and trucks will eventually be detoured properly"

BJ, I didn't expect everything to be 100%. I did expect some traffic cops directing traffic out there. Should DOT have to be pressured into putting up the correct signage for their changes? Should trucks have to be "eventually detoured properly"?

Someone is going to get hurt badly. Yeah I expect better than that.

Posted by: quetal at August 25, 2009 12:59 PM

sorry for all the typos. smart phone not so smart today.

Posted by: quetal at August 25, 2009 1:09 PM

The changes to Kent Ave should be better for the entire community - calmer traffic on Kent (it is a highway), better access for business, better greenway layout and more parking (frankly, the least of my concerns).

But DOT seems determined to implement this change with the same ham-fisted lack of planning, mitigation and foresight that they brought to the original changes. Maybe they figure the third time will be the charm?

Posted by: WBer at August 25, 2009 1:39 PM

I drive on Kent every day and it is far from a highway. There is always the odd miscreant, but in general traffic is moving at a reasonable speed. The cops do stake it out from time to time on the northside.

The bigger point is that there is very little bike or foot traffic on Kent to warrant all of this.

The only time that there is a lot of pedestrian traffic is when there is a free concert in the park.

It was bad enough when they took away the parking. Kent as it is now is wide open and pleasant.

I think that it will be more chaotic and dangerous with one lane and parking close by. I predict some doors getting taken off.

Posted by: therealflyintheointment at August 25, 2009 2:50 PM

Are we talking about the same Kent avenue? There's a *ton* of bike traffic.

Can we all just see how it works out in a couple months? It'll be fine. Really.

Posted by: zinka at August 25, 2009 3:01 PM

Fanning out a bad situation onto several other streets is not a solution. It's a band-aid.
Zinka, I DO hope you are right. I fear that you are really wrong.

Posted by: sosnowski at August 25, 2009 3:49 PM

DOT is planning to put stop signs in a variety of places on Kent. N 5th for sure, probably N7th as well. I'm guessing that we'll be seeing traffic lights on Kent when the highrises on the water are occupied.

Posted by: probopop at August 25, 2009 4:20 PM

"It sure isn't best for those who live work ,and play on wythe."

I live just off Wythe, yet I disagree. Unless you're convinced they'll fail miserably at diverting the trucks properly (and frankly, once the drivers figure it out, they'll avoid Wythe and all the stop-signs and pedestrians as much as possible), I see this as a win. Agreed there should be (and apparently will be) stop signs at Kent and North 5th and North 7th (and one or two others as well perhaps), but I don't see any compelling reason to keep Kent the way it had been. It most definitely was an ersatz highway.

Posted by: bjw2103 at August 25, 2009 4:30 PM

Whyte Avenue "you deserve the best" LOL

Posted by: jack slade at August 25, 2009 10:42 PM

I drove this yesterday, and there certainly was backed up traffic in areas that were out of the ordinary on Wythe etc...Personally I thought Kent was one of the best neighborhood go betweens in brooklyn -- bed stuy, FG, Clinton Hill, W-Burg, and Greenpoint all accessed and exited in no time...Policing and stop signs would have been a much more affordable and logical solution. Didn't they just repave this area in the last two years? Why was this not implemented then? Wasteful use of resources.

Posted by: davide5 at August 25, 2009 10:53 PM

Anyone been watching the 18 wheelers attempt to turn on or off of Wythe?

What a mess. Hint, do not park near the corners if you value your car.

Does anyone in government think of the consequences of their feel good actions?

Posted by: therealflyintheointment at September 29, 2009 11:33 AM

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