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]
“Jesus, let the traffic flow already… Time for those walking and biking to just take more care. ”
lol – you’re the one in a multi-ton piece of metal. why don’t YOU take care.
Not well at all tybur6. It seems to me, as a pedestrian, that 99% of Brooklyn drivers are crazy – crosses all ethnic, cultural, national lines. And those that aren’t are driven to deperate measures in avoiding the crazy manoeuvres of others.
I don’t trust anyone behind the wheel around here. Not many serious car collision accidents may happen here, but there sure are a lot of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities.
“So I think that we’re looking at measures that would have a broad effect of reducing the average speed”
Bike lanes?
Yeah, I said it.
“Ah, this betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of the power of street design.Accidents happen where they do for a reason”
Yeah, guess my point was that in the scheme of things not many serious accidents seem to happen here.
Question was about statistics, not street design.
Jesus, let the traffic flow already… Time for those walking and biking to just take more care. We have so few roads that efficiently can get us from one place to another in Bklyn. As it is, it can take FOREVER to get from Hicks to 4th Avenue during prime travel times.
QUOTE:
Wonder what a random level of fatalities would be (i.e. those that can happen anywhere b/c of driver or pedestrian error).
Ah, this betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of the power of street design. Accidents happen where they do for a reason — they are not random. Good street design can alter driver behavior for the better/safer.
This is the way to manage the problem of speeding — you will never be able to stop it with radar traps, etc. b/c you will never have enough manpower to do it. Good street design stops people from speeding — see Prospect Park West redesign! — and makes the streets safer for everyone.
And DIBS, what’s your thing — provoking people? What’s the point?
There’s a certain breed of minivan driver that are the absolute WORST. Aggressive, self-involved, entitled… and it doesn’t seem to make a difference if they have 9 of their 17 kids in the back. 50+ mph and cutting in-and-out with no regard.
This *certain* breed also goes away for 24 hrs each week — I’d say Brooklyn breaths a sigh of relief, but they are just replaced with drunk douchebags. Saturday nights are the worst… when BOTH are in the streets.
(I was trying not to be openly antisemitic… How did I do?)
I’ve never seen a radar speed trap within NYC. Why not???
If you think they drive too fast on Atlantic, come on over to manhattan and see Park Ave or even worse, 2nd Ave
It’s more of an attitudinal thing than experience driving (or herding goats). If you want to stereotype, plenty of older Italian and Russian drivers who drive in an entitled fashion.
And afa side street speeding is concerned, it’s because they are one-way and seen as safe to speed on. Narrow two way streets encourage traffic calming, but that would never happen here.