Wednesday, November 27, 2013
More on Traffic - from our man Vinnie at the 71
The 71 Precinct has received numerous calls about heavy traffic delays on Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard in both directions. The 71 Community Affairs office has visited the locations on Monday and Tuesday and has witnessed
first hand the delays. The 71 Precinct has reached out to the DOT
who has informed us the project will be complete in less then two weeks
and traffic should improve. The 71 Precinct and Community Board 9
realize it can be a long two weeks.
Both the 71 Precinct and CB9 have reached out to Department of Traffic and are requesting numerous traffic agents to help at the intersections until the traffic project is complete and traffic is back to normal. The 71 Precinct
will also step up enforcement in the area as necessary. We understand the frustration in the community, it also has been affecting numerous Police Officers trying to get to work and go home. We hope to have the traffic agents in place
soon. Sorry for any inconvenience this is causing the community.
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14 comments:
Well, this is ... something. But the 71st has really dropped the ball on this one and has a lot of making up to do. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but they're making it difficult by their inaction.
Meanwhile, I just returned from a trip to Park Slope via Vanderbilt Ave in Prospect Heights... an avenue that is similar in some major respects to the re-designed Flatbush (heavily commercial, one travel lane in each direction, turning lanes). But a major difference is that Vanderbilt has solid concrete medians and not just painted lines. Traffic is pretty much forced to comply with the road plan, like it or not. (A similarly built plan seems to have brought some order to 4th Avenue.)
Meanwhile, on my return to PLG the Flatbush/Lincoln/Washington intersection is still a chaotic mess with cars turning in every direction when they get past the cars blocking the center of the road... Watched a dollar van go 3+ blocks down the center turning lane before slicing back into southbound traffic. No sign yet of the rumored "traffic agents" or increased enforcement.
Does anyone know how or why the decision was made to just paint the road design — which is clearly being ignored by a sizable portion of drivers— and not build actual barriers to guide traffic?
I hope that others will join me in requesting a public hearing on the inaction of the 71st.
How do we request a public hearing? I'm in. I've had it with their BS and lies. Just took me 38 minutes just to get from Empire to Maple and in the process was cut off by every dollar van and a- holes driving on the yellow mediun and turning lanes, and bus lane and parking lane and another space they could wedge into. Waiting for 2 weeks until this sorts itself out or the dot finishes their work is unacceptable without traffic police. How had is it to get a couple of cops?! We must be the joke of the NYPD. It's hideous how they just feed us lies on every issue in this precinct.
Traffic what traffic, oh thats right I don't have a car.
To borrow from Jackie Gleason, "What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law."
Oddly, it applies as well to the supposed law enforcement agents. Not saying it's never happened, but I've never seen a ticket given for any of the routine traffic violations I see day in and day out in this neighborhood. I'm sure that's had a lot to do with setting the expectations of drivers (esp. professional ones, like the dollar van drivers) that they can drive as they wish with impunity.
If the police would enforce basic traffic laws--including speeding (well, that's a dead issue now!) and going through red lights (which is just routine here)--drivers would quickly learn to tame their behavior, or pay the price.
Indeed, how do we request a public hearing to discuss the 71st? I've had it with them. I almost got hit again today while crossing Parkside and Flatbush. Dam it I had the light;I had the right away. Not only that drivers don't have respect for the law, but law enforcement was no where to be found. Even if they are present they tend to ignore the lawlessness. 71st really does not give a dam about this community. I called the 71st when I reached home and was informed that they are aware of the issue. If they are aware of the issue I asked, where are the police, or the traffic agents? No answer-they hung-up on me. Now that's your answer about the 71st-they don't answer to us, and don't think this community matters. You think this could have taken place in Prospect Heights, Fort Greene or Park Slope.I think not. Furthermore,as Diak stated, why wasn't the Prospect Heights/Vanderbilt plan implemented in our hood? You know why, because they know there will be no consequence, no repercussion.
Count me in for a 71st public hearing, always telling us what they plan to do and not actually do anything has been working long enough for that lazy ass precinct.
The only reason they give a toss about the traffic mayhem and lawlessness is because it takes them longer to get back and forth from Wholsome market and if that doesn't inspire them to at least ticket a few of the many psychopathic PLG drivers I don't know what will.
Please keep us posted about this hearing, thanks.
I'll do some research and figure out how to get a hearing. Not a community meeting, but an actual hearing so that the 71st has to go on record in explaining their lack of action. I too have had it with the 71st. I'll send updates once I have them.
I just moved to the neighborhood and within the first week I was almost hit (a livery cab and two dollar vans) three times!!! The livery cab blew through a VERY red light too and almost took out several people crossing the street. I've never lived in a neighborhood where drivers have such blatant disrespect for pedestrians. And don't even get me started on biking around here! It's such a shame too because I adore everything else about the neighborhood (well, except maybe the garbage. There's been a filthy couch cushion chillin' on our corner for two weeks now.) Keep us in the loop about a possible hearing. I would love to be involved!
The barriers have gone up at the intersection of Lincoln and Flatbush. The result of non-enforcement is a steady stream of cars still making that turn onto Washington.
--josh
I mentioned the newly illegal turn to an officer of the 71st. She was very nice but she had no idea what I was talking about. Additionally, the new signs are not prominent enough, looks like a reiteration of the signs that were already in place.
Has traffic gotten any better recently? I've been avoiding this route for about a week now - after it took me 2 hours to get from Dumbo to Midwood during rush hour...
It was back to normal yesterday. Seems like the work on Caton was the cause, not the new lanes.
Traffic was much better yesterday, but I'm not sure if it was because everyone might not be back from the holiday.
Also got this reply from Pearl Miles of CB9 after I wrote an e-mail about the traffic last week...
"Please know that I have been working diligently with the 71 precinct; NYPD BS Command, and DOT Traffic, for additional enforcement and traffic agents to be assigned to the area for at least two weeks until the new signage and markings have been installed and to also address the added problems created by the water main break at Caton which is impacting the southern end of the district.
Relief is coming shortly."
Let's see how this develops.
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