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Changes to the park road — Brooklynian

Changes to the park road

opossumqueen
opossumqueen
edited November -1 in Park Slope

In case anyone is interested in the changes going on on the Prospect Park drive, here is some info from the park alliance:

From the Alliance

Update on Prospect Park Traffic Patterns

The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) has completed the new lane configuration for the Park Drives, which is now in effect. As part of the Road Sharing Taskforce recommendations, DOT has determined that pedestrian activated push buttons can be installed at all traffic signals in the Park. DOT has already begun installing and activating the push buttons on the West Drive, including at the 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 12th Street crossings. DOT anticipates that push buttons will be installed and operational around the entire Park in the next few weeks.

Here's what you need to know:

Pedestrian-activated traffic signals will only work when that portion of the Park Drive is closed to motor vehicles.

When the Drive is closed to motor vehicles, the traffic signals will remain green and pedestrian signals will display the steady hand symbol (Don't Walk) until a pedestrian activates the button.

When the Drive is open to motor vehicles (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the East Drive and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the West Drive, Monday through Friday), the traffic signals will operate using the regular green/yellow/red phases to facilitate traffic flow.

In addition, on June 25, DOT will permanently close the vehicle entrance at Parkside and Ocean Avenues. To access the Park Drive during morning rush hour (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the East Drive), vehicles must enter at Park Circle.

Comments

  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior

    those push buttons are faked you do know that right?

    The city deactivated most of the pedestrian buttons long ago with the emergence of computer-controlled traffic signals, even as an unwitting public continued to push on, according to city Department of Transportation officials. More than 2,500 of the 3,250 walk buttons that still exist function essentially as mechanical placebos, city figures show. Any benefit from them is only imagined.

    Many veteran New Yorkers have long learned to ignore them. They have never made sense, said Maryam Ceesay, 24, standing at a downtown Brooklyn push-button intersection. If pedestrians could simply push them and always get a walk signal, ''cars would never cross,'' she said. ''Traffic would stop.''

    But Ms. Ceesay was at that moment baby-sitting for 4-year-old Benjamin Miles. Despite his baby-sitter's explanations that the buttons ''never work,'' Benjamin still pushed away at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Henry Street. Why?

    His explanation may be the best reason for the continued existence of the buttons.

    ''Because,'' he said, ''it's fun.''

    http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/nyregion/for-exercise-in-new-york-futility-push-button.html

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31

    The re-design of the park roads came largely as a result of several high profile, serious bike-pedestrian accidents. Hopefully it will make the park safer for all concerned.

    Meanwhile, to the amazement of many, the City of San Francisco has charged a bicyclist with manslaughter, after he hit and killed a pedestrian who was crossing with the light.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/16/us/san-francisco-cyclist-charged-with-manslaughter.html

    It should be an interesting case to watch, because if the prosecution is successful, I would not be surprised if NYC took a similar approach in an instance in which a speeding, reckless cyclist kills a pedestrian who is crossing with the light inside (or outside) the park.

    ...let the jury decide if the standard for Manslaughter is met.

  • jeffrey
    jeffrey

    armchair_warrior said:

    those push buttons are faked you do know that right?

    Sometimes I wonder about elevators.

  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior

    whynot_31 said:

    The re-design of the park roads came largely as a result of several high profile, serious bike-pedestrian accidents. Hopefully it will make the park safer for all concerned.

    Meanwhile, to the amazement of many, the City of San Francisco has charged a bicyclist with manslaughter, after he hit and killed a pedestrian who was crossing with the light.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/16/us/san-francisco-cyclist-charged-with-manslaughter.html

    It should be an interesting case to watch, because if the prosecution is successful, I would not be surprised if NYC took a similar approach in an instance in which a speeding, reckless cyclist kills a pedestrian who is crossing with the light inside (or outside) the park.

    ...let the jury decide if the standard for Manslaughter is met.

    In nyc you could legally kill someone with a car and make it look like accident perfect way to get away with murder!

    Seriously thought they never ever charge reckless drivers. bigger problem than some bikes.

  • ringrunner
    ringrunner

    Giving people the impression that they can safely cross the road in Prospect Park just because the sign says "walk" is going to get people hurt.

    The vast majority of cyclists in New York City do not stop at red lights. I don't think the Prospect Park Road Sharing Task Force is going to change that on the park roads.

    When the drives are closed to traffic the lights should blink yellow for the bikers and blink red for the people who intend to cross the street. Pedestrians should be told to stop and look.

    http://whatyourdonotknowbecauseyouarenotme.blogspot.com/2012/04/beginning-of-better.html

    If the traffic light turns red some bikes will stop and the rest will go around them.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31

    Ringrunner, you may be right.

    And, in light of the problems you discuss, the Park is doing more to ensure the safety of all.

    For example, it has:

    -held press conferences

    -passed out flyers

    -painted a bunch of lines

    -worked closely with the police to ticket bikers.

    These steps all show that park has taken affirmative action to try to control bikers, and therefore reduce its legal exposure from their behavior in "it's" park.

    I suspect very few people on the Taskforce genuinely believed they would be successful in changing bikers, but that was likely the secondary reason the Taskforce was created. The "real, primary" reason was likely to reduce the Park Alliance's legal exposure.

    Basically, the Park just needs to show that it has established clear rules about use of the park, and that the bikers are breaking them.

    If I am right, the Park hopes to reduce their legal exposure; changing the behavior of bikers is secondary.

    Note, this doesn't mean the civil exposure is going to go away, it means it will instead go (almost solely) to a biker who hits a pedestrian who has the right of way.

    If NYC follows San Francisco's lead, criminal charges may also occur:

    If the pedestrian is injured (and the authorities feel the biker meets the legal definition), s/he might be charged with reckless endangerment.

    If pedestrian dies (and the authorities feel the biker meets the legal definition), s/he might be charged with manslaughter.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31

    The traffic lights will now be triggered by someone pushing a button, as opposed to a timer.

    http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/26/dtg_bikesgreenlight_2012_0_35_26.html

    Makes sense to me; It does seem unreasonable to have a biker stop when there is no one who wants to cross the street.

    Ticket those who do not comply.

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