Closing Bell: Left Turns Nixed on 4th & Union
4th Avenue’s transformation from traffic-choked truck route to residential strip got a little boost from the DOT recently. The department bowed to the wishes of the Park Slope Civic Council and eliminated northbound left turns at 4th and Union. The Civic Council argued that the turns were unnecessary since the westbound traffic lane ends at…
4th Avenue’s transformation from traffic-choked truck route to residential strip got a little boost from the DOT recently. The department bowed to the wishes of the Park Slope Civic Council and eliminated northbound left turns at 4th and Union. The Civic Council argued that the turns were unnecessary since the westbound traffic lane ends at 3rd Ave. and Union, a block away, and that they endangered pedestrians. GMAP
Brooklynnative, according to http://www.crashstat.org, there have been between 12-22 pedestrian injuries at that intersection between 1995-2005 — before the 4th avenue development boom.
i love what’s happening on 4th avenue.
just that fact that people are paying attention to it says something.
3 years ago, no one could have cared about 4th. and now half the threads are about new condos popping up on it, improving traffic patterns, etc.
it’s a good sign for this major thoroughfare.
That crossing is particularly dangerous because everyone gets out of the subway and is relegated to about a two-foot wide median if they can’t make it across 4th avenue in time. Hopefully this project will result in a wider permanent median as well.
While we’re at it, how about making Union St. one-way, one-lane eastbound to Grand Army Plaza (plus a bike lane)? I think Union being two-way makes the street more dangerous than any other side street in the slope, with all the double-parking, etc. I suppose the B71’s four riders would be upset, but that route runs so infrequently that it’s basically useless anyway.
I use this Hess station and the left turn ban will make it a bit harder to reach, but it’s no big deal to take 3rd or 5th Ave. to Union Street or 3rd Ave to Sackett Street, which has the other entrance to the gas station.
hey brooklyn native we had the same exact thought at the exact same time.
Cars making a left at Union endangers pedestrians? Well, why does it help matters if more cars turn a block or two away and then have to circle back? Have there been any actual accidents or is this just speculation?
Ridiculous, there is a gas station at Union and 4th cars. There are not many left and this is going to make it a lot harder to get to it. Now you’ll have to make an illegal U turn or go all the way to 3rd and circle back.
not to mention anyone that wants to use the hess gas station (one of only 2 left on fourth ave in park slope) has to either make an illegal u turn, the next legal u turn or make a left, then a left on third avenue and another left on union (which nobody will do). making a left off fourth onto union is far more safer then the options. again poorly thought out.
this really makes no sense as union street between 3rd and 4th avenue is two way and very industrial. so now instead trucks have to make left turns onto narrower one way streets that are likely more residential. plus it has encouraged illegal u turns on the next block. all in all a bad decision.
I was wondering what was happening over here lately. Couldnt be happier – this was such a dangerous spot when coming out of the subway. All of those U-Turners were reckless with the pedestrian traffic. Good riddance.