Crosswalk at Washington Eastern Pkwy

marla_singer · July 2007

I walk to the BK Museum/E. Pkwy subway stop in the mornings. I'd like to walk along Eastern Parkway to get there, but I usually go a different way.

On the north side of Eastern Parkway and Washington Ave, crossing Washington, there's no pedestrian signal to cross. And that's a tough intersection to cross without it! I assume it's intended to be a crosswalk because that's how the street is painted. But so dangerous without a signal!

Has there been any talk about putting some up? Did there used to be one? There are signals in most other directions to cross that big intersection (I think), but not right there.

whyfi · July 2007

Are you talking about crossing where the walking/biking paths are? Or about crossing on the proper corners of the two blocks? I walk my dog by there just about every day, and I've never noticed any particular difficulty in crossing...

daver · July 2007

I'm guessing the OP is referring to the cluster thing on the north side. Where there is like a crosswalk to a triangle painted in the street to a crosswalk to an oblong triangle painted, all of which are driven through whenever someone feels like it. Yes, that can be a bit hairy sometimes. I generally just make sure I am on the south side by the time I reach there, then I don't have any trouble.

marla_singer · July 2007

daver wrote: I'm guessing the OP is referring to the cluster thing on the north side. Where there is like a crosswalk to a triangle painted in the street to a crosswalk to an oblong triangle painted, all of which are driven through whenever someone feels like it. Yes, that can be a bit hairy sometimes. I generally just make sure I am on the south side by the time I reach there, then I don't have any trouble.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about. It's hard to explain because it is such a big intersection. There's a crosswalk painted on the street there, but no signal to go with it.

A subway entrance is in the median, and there's basically no pedestrian signal to get people onto that median safely.

Obviously, people can and do cross with care now, but a signal would certainly make it easier.

easternpkwy · July 2007

There is a plan in place to correct this problem - it was approved and funded by the city almost 2 years ago, and is finally going to be implemented this fiscal year (from now through June, so don't hold your breath!)

The new configuration will eliminate the 'slip-off' from the westbound main road onto the access road for cars. That means that the entire median can be raised and curbed (everything that is currently painted) from Washington Avenue to Plaza St. The whole median will also be greened and repaired (no more broken concrete or cobblestones) and a bike lane will be included on it.

The crosswalk across Washington on the north side will be added, and the soft right hand-turn from southbound Washington onto the access road will be eliminated. Cars will have to stop at the light and make a formal right hand turn, so that area with the raised cones will actually not only become raised concrete sidewalk, but will connect to the current sidewalk, uninterrupted by roadway. Kind of a new little pedestrian plaza.

marla_singer · July 2007

Cool! Thank you so much for that info, EasternPkwy!

brooklynred87 · August 2007

THANK YOU, CITY OF NEW YORK! (and EasternPkwy for keeping us posted)

This is such great news. I've lived off this intersection for 10 years and the ridiculous traffic pattern (and dumb drivers, but that's another story) angers me on almost a daily basis. Especially when there are kids around.

The construction period won't be fun, but I'll take it.

Crosswalk at Washington Eastern Pkwy

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