Mulling How to Make a Stretch of Atlantic Safer
NY1 reports on how the Boerum Hill Association and Councilman Levin have created a task force to examine possible traffic-calming measures on Atlantic Avenue west of 4th Avenue. From the story: “‘If there’s few enough obstacles for traffic, cars will go 50 miles per hour, easy, here on Atlantic,’ said Brooklyn City Councilman Stephen Levin….
NY1 reports on how the Boerum Hill Association and Councilman Levin have created a task force to examine possible traffic-calming measures on Atlantic Avenue west of 4th Avenue. From the story: “‘If there’s few enough obstacles for traffic, cars will go 50 miles per hour, easy, here on Atlantic,’ said Brooklyn City Councilman Stephen Levin. ‘So I think that we’re looking at measures that would have a broad effect of reducing the average speed.’ ‘The re-timing of the lights and red light cameras posted would be another dramatic move for Atlantic Avenue,’ said Howard Kolins, president of the Boerum Hill Association. It’s not just Atlantic Avenue that the task force is taking a look at, it’s also the streets in the neighborhood surrounding it. One concern is that motorists looking to avoid Atlantic Avenue wind up speeding on side streets.” According to city and state stats, there were five fatalities on Atlantic from 4th Avenue to Hicks Street from 2005 through 2010; the DOT says it will meet with the task force this month.
Boerum Hill Residents Take On Traffic Issues [NY1]
BTW traffic fatalities in NY City(car,bus truck, pedestrian and bike) are at all time lows(since records were kept)….
The 84th precinct runs a radar trap on Atlantic Avenue about once a month(between Nevins and Third). If you haven’t seen it you are either not out or not looking. There is also one out periodically on Flatbush and prospect park by the Botanic Gardens.
The NYPD Highway patrol runs a couple of radar traps a day. There is one on the FDR just under the Brooklyn Bridge Northbound about half the time.
If you want to see the results(tickets) traffic court is open to the public and you can see the people trying to fight these. there is one Traffic court in Lower Brooklyn, and by Coney Island and two in Manhattan.
For full disclosure, many moons ago I was a Driver Improvement Evaluator(great initials) and then a Driver Safety Specialist for NY State DMV and supervised the 3 hour classes and driver remediation classes too….
By the time the City figures out and approves a plan to calm traffic on Atlantic, speeding cars will not be a problem.
The Barclay’s Center arena will immediately moderate speeding — the only things moving at all will be the Brooklyn Nets players on the court.
Looking forward to jammed streets and subways, though hopefully the team will be worth seeing at that point…
Sing it, Dash & Wyckoff (somewhat). As I’ve posted before, moving violations go practically unenforced in this town. Speed, it seems to me, is the least of the problems along this stretch of Atlantic Avenue. Running red lights, barely legal, gunned left turns, and general scofflaw assholishness make the place a shooting gallery.
The biggest danger on Atlantic is people running red lights and pedestrians combined with pedestrians who don’t have the patience to stand on the curb and wait for the light to change, who don’t look before crossing, and have a sensory handicap inflicted by their iPods. All the city needs to do is put up cameras and start ticketing the red light runners, and behavior will change quickly – that at least addresses half the problem.
As mentioned, the biggest danger is not on Atlantic, but with the idiots who drive 50mph down the side streets.
** in a CAR
EHinBH — “Jesus, let the traffic flow already… Time for those walking and biking to just take more care.”
Umm… why are we talking about walkers and bikers?! How about being in a care surrounded by douchebags driving 60 mph down Atlantic and weaving in an out of lanes?!
I’m thinking you’re one of them.
I find people who grew up driving in the city and suburban NYC areas are probably the biggest offenders of aggressive driving. That’s basically all they know.
I have a crazy idea:
How about hiring some traffic cops to issue tickets?
Why is there zero enforcement in Brooklyn for traffic violations? It’s like a free-for-all.
Not clear why cameras and concrete abutments are preferable to humans on the ground.