Vanderbilt Ave traffic

The months and months and years of construction should be a hoot. Couldn't speeding be controlled by changing the pattern of lights?

muteflute wrote: WOOOO! so overdue....props to all y'all for getting this going. community involvement rules.

oh, and if there's a bake sale? I'll make banana bread.

This is terrific news! I love banana bread!

Seriously, what a difference it would make, not just to the safety of the nabe, but also to the look of the street. Fingers crossed. And I'd love to help out, esp. with a bake sale - I'll make ice cream cone cupcakes! They're amazing.

Subject: Vanderbilt Av

Stacey:

Where can I reach you for a possible story about your successful efforts? Thanks.

GERSH KUNTZMAN
718-834-9350

stacey wrote: Similarly, there's tomorrow's meeting in Park Slope (the one posted to the list). It was put together by Aaron Naperstak, who I've spoken to at various times about putting together a coalition of neighborhood groups to push for a redesign of Grand Army Plaza. I'm hoping this meeting might jump start that effort.

Here's a nice write-up of this, for those who missed it:

Goverment Employees Avoid Park Slope Traffic Forum Jam
By Nik Kovac

Personally--and based on some reading on the topic--I think speed bumps are not an appropriate measure on streets like ours. They're really for use around playgrounds and places like that. We want to slow people to 25 mph, not 5. Actually, the best way to make drivers more cautious is to narrow the lanes and make the turns more sharp, both of which the median plan would accomplish. In fact, I've often wondered if the best way to slow down traffic on a street like Park wouldn't be to make the street two way, which would have the effect of drastically narrowing the lanes. When I lived in Carroll Gardens, where the streets are much narrower, people really did drive a lot slower. But you couldn't just make a street like Park two lanes in the same direction because people would just drive down the middle at the same speed they do now. Unfortunately, I think people would hear "two way traffic" and freak out so I doubt it could ever be attempted.

things are starting to happen

they're stripping the painted center lane as I'm typing this outside on Vanderbilt (bw st.marks & bergen at least)

The traffic is crazy here.
This morning we saw a car pass 2 car lanes on the parking lane, making vanderbilt a 3 car lane (in each direction) for a moment there.

does this mean the rents will go up bc it'll be safe(r) here? everything is a 2 way street...its safer, so the rents will go up, so we have to move somewhere else eventually...?

mc wrote: What are you kidding? They honk even when I'm standing outside on my stoop.
But good news about Vandy. I can't wait for a bike lane. Maybe they'll start enforcing traffice signals. When I have to cross Sterling during rush hour it's like a freakin habit trail. Even worse if I'm on my bike.

Are we getting a real bike lane?? That would be beyond great. However, it doesn't say "bike lane" in the original posting:

stacey wrote: ...So, there will be one lane of non-turning traffic in each direction on this stretch. Also, the parking lanes will be widened by a foot to give cyclists some extra space...

I'm wondering if cyclists will actually have extra space...as from my experience, drivers tend to think the road is theirs, from the lane divider to the parked cars, and cyclists are on their turf.

Stacey, did any more details of this ever surface?

pompei wrote: I'm wondering if cyclists will actually have extra space...as from my experience, drivers tend to think the road is theirs, from the lane divider to the parked cars, and cyclists are on their turf.

I asked a friend who's in Prospect Heights Parents, and worked on the Vandy project, and he says "The parking lane will become a foot wider. Still not enough room for a bike lane."

they should of made alot of bike lanes out of those. oh wells.

steveo wrote: [quote=armchair_warrior]they should of made alot of bike lanes out of those. oh wells.

Wait, you mean that wide area with the diagonal stripes isn't a bike lane?if those are they are the most funky bike lanes i ever seen!!!!

danaeo wrote: I spoke with some of the reps from the PH Parents Association and the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council who were at the meeting with DOT and Transportation Alternatives. Although there was a push for a bike lane, DOT determined that there just wasn't enough room. The median has to be the width of a car because it becomes a turn lane at each end. There's now a little extra room in the parking lane on each side, but not enough for a dedicated bike lane.

I rode my bike on Vanderbilt yesterday, up from Atlantic to the new left turn lane at Park Place. It seems safer for bikes in the new one-lane areas because it's a slightly wider lane which gives more room for bikes and cars to share.

Steve (newest member of PH Parents, and almost a parent)