No Standing regulations on DeKalb = High speed traffic

anonymous · May 2008

Between Classon and roughly Cumberland Ave on DeKalb, the DOT has put in harsh new parking regulations. No standing 7am - 3 pm and 4pm - 7 pm. This has resulted - on my block at least - in traffic sailing down DeKalb at speeds approaching 50 mph. There are many schools here and many playgrounds - this fast traffic is dangerous and out of place in a residential area.

Additionally, the Pharmacy on DeKalb pointed out he had a 40% drop in business as soon as the "No Standing" regulations went into effect.

I have complained to Tish James [email protected] regarding this, and I urge other FG/CH residents complain also. This "improvement" is dangerous and misplaced and allows DOT to ease traffic from Long Island and Westchester into non-toll bridge crossings.

Let's not have accidents involving kids and strollers because of speeding cars on DeKalb!

homeowner · May 2008

Yeah, this is part of the wonderful new plan to bring a bike lane on DeKalb, and move the two traffic lanes to what are now the right lane and the parking lane on the right hand side of the street. Reality is that with the bus traffic, this is going to turn DeKalb essentially into a one-lane street that is actually less pedestrian and business friendly.

I think that once the bike lane goes in you'll see the speeding drop, but instead you'll have a lot of illegal stopping, horns honking and traffic stopped behind busses that don't pull into bus stops but instead stop in the middle of the street to pick up and discharge passengers.

Sorry to hear that its already had negative impacts, but I'm not sure that its possible to undo it now.

anonymous · May 2008

homeowner wrote: Sorry to hear that its already had negative impacts, but I'm not sure that its possible to undo it now.

All it will take is one kid from Banneker, or PS 11 or PS 20 or QAS being hit by a car speeding to make the light and it will be undone. We really have to consider this plan - it wasn't presented to the community as a proposal, just crammed down our throats.

Why not put the bike lane on Gates or Greene which are far more bike friendly streets to begin with?

homeowner · May 2008

Here's the Brownstoner post on the subject.

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/03/dekalb_ave_like.php

I agree with you that there are better streets to put a bike lane on and based on the posts on Brownstoner, even the bikers think its a bad idea.

anonymous · May 2008

homeowner wrote: Here's the Brownstoner post on the subject.

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/03/dekalb_ave_like.php

I agree with you that there are better streets to put a bike lane on and based on the posts on Brownstoner, even the bikers think its a bad idea.

Thanks for that link Homeowner. I just followed a link on the Brownstoner page and discovered now they're planning METERED PARKING for DeKalb! http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/03/17/dekalb-avenue-could-become-a-more-complete-street/

On the commercial "restaurant row" parts of DeKalb, I suppose meters would be ok, but on the purely residential blocks, it's an outrage.

There are also some comments on streetsblog about this same plan actually being implemented in order to speed traffic to the downtown bridges. The bike lane is obviously nothing but a politically motivated distraction - a means to increase traffic under the umbrella of "Greening New York". It's a cynical outrage.

I really fear the inevitable accidents I know will happen involving kids.

The part about Sunnyside Queens is interesting too. Sunnyside's increased traffic speed, the potential for pedestrian injuries and decreased business were experienced complaints regarding an almost identical "solution".

What can our we do at this late date in order to modify this really bad idea?

boygabriel · May 2008

Nimrod wrote: Why not put the bike lane on Gates or Greene which are far more bike friendly streets to begin with?

Those streets might not be wide enough, unless they were going to remove a lane of parking like they did on DeKalb. But my guess is the community would be more pissed about lost parking on those streets than on DeKalb.

boygabriel · May 2008

Subject: Re: No Standing" regulations on DeKalb = High speed tra

Anonymous wrote: Between Classon and roughly Cumberland Ave on DeKalb, the DOT has put in harsh new parking regulations. No standing 7am - 3 pm and 4pm - 7 pm. This has resulted - on my block at least - in traffic sailing down DeKalb at speeds approaching 50 mph. There are many schools here and many playgrounds - this fast traffic is dangerous and out of place in a residential area.

I'm confused about how removing a parking lane has made traffic move faster. Aren't conditions generally the same as they were before (ie two lanes of traffic)?

Previously there were two lanes of traffic (which move quite fast, I bike commute on Dekalb every morning). Now there will be one lane during off hours, and two during peak hours, just like there used to be 24-7.

Seems like things will be the same as before during rush hour (but with less parking), and off hours cars will move slower as there will be 1 less lane.

putnam-denizen · May 2008

The metered parking will probably compensate for the loss of one side of the street parking. It will encourage turn-over for the business (even if the business are a block away) as opposed to, well, long-term parking.

anonymous · May 2008

Subject: Re: No Standing" regulations on DeKalb = High speed tra

Boygabriel wrote:
I'm confused about how removing a parking lane has made traffic move faster. Aren't conditions generally the same as they were before (ie two lanes of traffic)?

During the greater part of the day, there are 3 lanes open for traffic and no bike lane. Traffic is faster than it has ever been on DeKalb Ave. There is no sign of any bike lane.

Currently, traffic is moving scarily fast.

boygabriel · May 2008

Subject: Re: No Standing" regulations on DeKalb = High speed tra

nimrod wrote: During the greater part of the day, there are 3 lanes open for traffic and no bike lane. Traffic is faster than it has ever been on DeKalb Ave. There is no sign of any bike lane.

Currently, traffic is moving scarily fast.

forgive me, I'm still confused. Is there three lanes of traffic b/c they've closed the parking lane, but haven't yet built the bike lane?

This is a temporary problem right...

boygabriel · May 2008

Looks like the permanent bike lane is nearing completion, and as a biker I couldn't be happier. In the past week or two it's looked like traffic during rush hour moves the same way it always does (in two lanes), meanwhile also during rush hour we've traded a parking lane for a bike lane. That's a good trade in my book.

I think the speeding is independent of the street layout. The bottom line is that the cops should ticket people who speed.

anonymous · June 2008

Subject: Did anyone get reimbursed yet?

My car was towed because of the new No Parking signs....@ 7:02AM no less. This was when the new signs first wen up. Did anyone contact Community Board 3? They instructed me to write the DOT Brooklyn Borough Commissioner to get the fees reimbursed and the ticket dismissed. Has anyone been reimbursed?

No Standing regulations on DeKalb = High speed traffic

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