Traffic Calming Meeting

stacey

I know this was of some interest to quite a bit of people and I am posting this e-mail (with Mike's permission) for those that are interested

The Parents Association's traffic-calming committee will be having a meeting
this Thursday, 8/4, at 7:30 pm at my apartment - 267 Park Pl. Apt. 2B.

We will be discussing our efforts to work with the borough president's
office to include Prospect Heights in the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming
Blueprint as well as to propose a fundamental redesign of Vanderbilt Avenue.
We will also discuss ways to put further pressure on the DOT to make safety
improvements at Grand Army Plaza.

All are welcome - please let me know if you're coming.

Mike

emily

Yes, I think I can come. Thanks for posting.

jamesondean

Subject: Oblivious drivers kill people.

I can't make it, but you might want to inform Letitia James' office. One of her staff, named Abani, has written DOT regarding traffic calming on Vanderbilt in particular. I'm sure they'd be supportive of whatever y'all plan, and may be able to add some heft to whatever efforts you make.

dailyheights

Anyone heard anything about the "fundamental redesign" of Vanderbilt? How is that possible - are they proposing a concrete median or something?

anonymous

Subject: Traffic Calming on Vanderbilt

I can't make the meeting but want to add my two cents.

My ultimate desire for Vanderbilt would be to see a nice planted median and traffic narrowed to one lane each way.

Next in priority would be just adding bike lanes and narrowing traffic to one lane each way. (Anyone else notice how much bike traffic there is, esp. on weekends? Vanderbilt is really a major connector for people biking from Ft Greene/Clinton Hill to Prospect Park.)

If nothing else, at a minimum I would advocate shortening the traffic lights and/or breaking the sequencing. This would slow traffic, but also the long lights really separate the commercial businesses on one side from the other. Shorter lights would make it a lot easier to cross between shops.

Obviously, other aesthetic improvements would be great too - more trees, nicer street lights, street furniture, etc.

dailyheights

good ideas - I will pass those along to Mike.

anonymous

Subject: Vanderbilt Ave

I think one of the solutions to calming traffic on Vanderbilt Avenue is for the police to enforce the 30-mile speed limit in commercial districts. Maybe we should get Tish James in on this.

t-fal

i until i got a bike, i never noticed just how FAST, no INASANELY FAST people drive on vanderbilt. i avoid riding down it, and instead will only cross it, because it seems to be a drag strip for sports cars and suicide bikes.

emily

INSANELY fast certainly is the word for it.

I am still firmly ensconced at my desk, way uptown in Manhattan. Not sure I'm going to make it, but I hope someone reports back...

anonymous

is that why several european cities have banned Hummers?
what cities are you talking about...Venice, Holland, Britain, Paris (maybe?). sounds more like your describing LA.