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Prospect Heights could become a DOT Slow Zone — Brooklynian

Prospect Heights could become a DOT Slow Zone

whynot_31
whynot_31
edited April 2015 in Prospect Heights
DOT to present plans for Prospect Heights Slow Zone at CB8 Transportation Committee meeting

When: Tuesday, April 28, 7:00PM
Where: CNR-Center Light Health Care Center, 727 Classon Avenue (corner of Park Place)

At the April CB8 Transportation Committee meeting, representatives from the Brooklyn Department of Transportation will present plans for implementing a Neighborhood Slow Zone in Prospect Heights. In 2012, PHNDC gathered more than 1,300 petition signatures and received 35 letters of support for the proposed NSZ from elected officials, civic groups, schools, daycare centers, residential facilities and houses of worship. Prospect Heights was chosen for a NSZ in 2013.

http://phndc.org/events/community-board-8-transportation-committee-meeting

Comments

  • foolio
    foolio
    http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2013-10-neighborhood-slow-zones-prospect-hts-bk.pdf
  • newguy88
    newguy88
    I'm unsure why having hospitals and firehous. marks against the slow zone. If the emergency vehicles need to go faster they can use their sirens.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    To me, it seems one of the main purposes of slow zones is to try to encourage cars to use the arterial roads as opposed to the little side streets.

    This is done by putting in speed bumps, etc. on the little side streets.

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/slowzones.shtml
  • homeowner
    homeowner
    Just spitballing here, but I wonder if its because people going to hospitals for emergencies aren't always in ambulances and may need to drive faster. Driving through a zone a 20mph and going over speed bumps vs. driving at 30mph with no bumps may be the difference between several key minutes. In a place like NYC having people show up at an emergency room in a taxi or private car is probably closer to the norm. 

    I think the no truck routes is because large commercial trucks aren't actually designed to drive for long distances at 20mph and results in more idling as trucks make more stops and shift into and out of gear. This actually results in higher emissions along truck routes, which is the exact opposite of what you want for the neighborhood.
  • hamwax
    hamwax
    I think it's a great idea to have a slow zone in P-Heights, including especially on the service road adjacent to Eastern Parkway.  This is a pedestrian-heavy area (the service road separates a sidewalk from the promenade/bike/jogging path) but cars often travel at high speed.  Speedbumps needed!
  • morralkan
    morralkan
     This actually results in higher emissions along truck routes, which is the exact opposite of what you want for the neighborhood.
    Actually, this is what they SAY they want. What they really want is NO cars at all. Back to the horse and buggy days, except what to do with all of that horse flop?

    The narrowing of EP to 2 lanes in each direction has resulting in back ups that only add to pollution. I just saw this again, city-bound, at about 3 this afternoon, near Kingston Ave. At the red light, the traffic was totally backed up to Albany Ave where there were two long line of cars waiting for that light to change also. Since this was 3PM, rush hour traffic could not be blamed for the backup.
  • mike dunlap
    mike dunlap
    edited April 2015
    The narrowing of EP to 2 lanes in each direction has resulting in back ups that only add to pollution.
    Ha.  Right.  As if that's your main concern here.

    Let's keep in mind you have previously said traffic on Eastern Parkway never gets above 35.  Your credibility on anything EP is completely shot.
  • newguy88
    newguy88
    Just spitballing here, but I wonder if its because people going to hospitals for emergencies aren't always in ambulances and may need to drive faster. Driving through a zone a 20mph and going over speed bumps vs. driving at 30mph with no bumps may be the difference between several key minutes. In a place like NYC having people show up at an emergency room in a taxi or private car is probably closer to the norm.
    Last time I went to the ER I went via taxi. So I can understand that. However, if minutes really mattered that much I'd think most people would call 911.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited April 2015
    The process is pretty selective:

    "From among 74 applicants, 16 communities from across the city were selected to receive Neighborhood Slow Zones over the next two years. DOT selected each location based on crash history, community support, proximity of schools, and senior and daycare centers, among other criteria."

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/slowzones.shtml

    But, despite this, a large portion of the south section of CH (the area formed by Nostrand, EP, Utica and Empire) "was supposed to get it" in 2014: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2013-10-neighborhood-slow-zones-crown-hts-bk.pdf

    And, the PH section that is "supposed to get it" in 2015: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2013-10-neighborhood-slow-zones-prospect-hts-bk.pdf

    So, we seemingly live in an area that has the right combination of accidents and political power/savvy.
  • pheightsresident
    pheightsresident
    Another article on the subject: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150429/prospect-heights/prospect-heights-20-mph-slow-zone-proposal-not-strong-enough-cb-says

    Quite frankly, I'd prefer to see additional speed bumps than a reduction in the speed limit, which would be meaningless as the current speed limits aren't enforced by NYPD anyways. 
  • ehgee
    ehgee
    A speed camera near one of our many schools would do well combined with a 20mph speed limit— it would ticket drivers at >30mph.

    I need to petition for it.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    I'd like a speed bump or two on Underhill between the playground and Dean.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    So far, CB8 likes DOT's plan.

    http://phndc.org/content/brooklyn-cb8-transportation-committee-approves-dot-plan-prospect-heights-neighborhood-slow-z
  • pheightsresident
    pheightsresident
    20 MPH on Eastern Parkway?? Definitely not on board with that. 
  • newguy88
    newguy88
    edited May 2015
    20 MPH on Eastern Parkway?? Definitely not on board with that. 
    Why not? It's a pedestrian filled intersection that has multiple fatalties. At least twice a week I see a collision between two cars and fairly often by a turning car that refuses to yield. Washington and Eastern is a very hairy strech. In short it's a dangerous road and the speed limit needs to be reduced.

    Does anyone know if Washington and Eastern will get red light cameras as well? If I recall correctly it only has red light cameras facing towards Eastern and not Washington.
  • pheightsresident
    pheightsresident
    edited May 2015
    I'd be willing to bet (and de Blasio mentioned such when reducing to 25) that the overwhelming majority of vehicle-pedestrian related fatalities are the result of cars going far above 25/30 mph; that was the main rationale for reducing the speed limit to 25 to begin with. This seems to be an enforcement issue. But instead of enforcing the speed limit (seriously, I knew few people who drove 30 or under when that was the default limit, and know even fewer people who drive 25 or under now, and just standing on Eastern Parkway you'll see few cars adhering to the current speed limit), the city ridiculously doesn't get to the root of the problem. Enforce the speed limit as it is currently and I wager that you'll see fewer fatalities along Eastern Parkway and elsewhere in the city. In short, reducing the speed limit doesn't solve the problem if the limit isn't enforced as is and speeding is the leading cause of pedestrian death (not cars going the speed limit, whether 25 or 30). All reducing the speed limit now, without actually enforcing the limit, does is punish/slow down even further the few who seem to be following the law, when they aren't the cause of the deaths we are seeing.

    I'm all for red light cameras, though.
  • pheightsresident
    pheightsresident
    From the DOT:

    "If a pedestrian is hit by a car traveling 40 m.p.h. or faster, there's a 70 percent chance that pedestrian will be killed; at 30 m.p.h., there's an 80 percent chance that the pedestrian will live."

    www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2010/pr10_053.shtml

    It's even less at 25 (I think it's above a 90% chance the pedestrian lives).
  • wax
    wax
    20 MPH on Eastern Parkway?? Definitely not on board with that. 



    20 mph on Eastern Parkway Service Road, not main road, I believe.
  • pheightsresident
    pheightsresident
    edited May 2015
    20 MPH on Eastern Parkway?? Definitely not on board with that. 



    20 mph on Eastern Parkway Service Road, not main road, I believe.
    Oh, ok. That's not too bad! I feared that the 20 mph limit would be on the main road. 
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    CB8 endorsed DOT's plan tonight.


    ...DOT will now implement it.
     
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    Link to the presentation that DOT made to CB8.  

    Aka:   The plans for the slow zone

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2EAgawNFP-nbms0MWNLOWtLQ1Q3emRmMkRoWW5JZndxQ2hz/view
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