The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Will This Be The Fix?

Another eagle-eyed reader snapped this pic this morning and theorizes that the Do Not Enter/Don't Go This Way/Stop Breaking the Law Fool signs will go closer to the beginning of Washington rather than at a typical intersection location..This intersection has vexed the DOT for years, and with the constant community outcry the Q feels confident that a fix will eventually come to pass. We've made the dangers clear, and I don't want to put too fine a point on it, but a serious crash is kind of on the hands of those who don't listen to the public at this point. DOT is doing its job as best as possible. Let's hope enforcement keeps pace.

And yes, turning Lincoln into a one-way towards the park is on the table. But before that happens, I expect an opportunity for community input, probably at CB9.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of the reasons that I want Lincoln Rd btwn Flatbush and Ocean to remain 2 ways is actually about bicycles. I'm a cyclist (and a motorist) that tries to obey street directions. Lincoln Rd has a lot of bicyclists exiting the park there and entering our neighborhood. If Lincoln Rd were made only westward bound I guarantee you that a lot of bikes are going to go the wrong way on that street. And I'm not just talking about delivery folks. I ride to and from the tennis center with an 11 year old and by far the safest way to travel to and from there is that route. I see plenty of other parents riding to soccer at the Parade Grounds using that route and kids by themselves for that matter. And now we can bike to the skating rink which has plenty of bike racks.
There are many neighborhood parents, and parents from across the park, on bikes that drop their kids off at Maple School. There are some folks on bikes that ride to the train. There are other neighborhood cyclists that exercise in the park. The majority of these folks will not travel up to Empire or down to Parkside. All of these folks are safer with a two way street.
I'm also happy to see the DOT trying to figure out the no turn onto Washington. I'm hoping the closer sign works because the sign 20 feet away didn't.
One question that I have about the idea for moving the B41 down a block is how do they plan to deal with the cross curb trafic of the gas station? I like the idea of moving the buses but as long as that block has a gas station, and we restrict vehicular travel to a sensible life safety degree like we are, the two ideas don't work together that well.

EFG

John Mark said...

EFG: They could very easily accommodate a one way car lane and a 2-way bike lane (like they have on Kent in Williamsburg--same situation)

One lane of car traffic and a 2 way bike lane would still leave room for bus stops and a buffer between the car lane and the bikes.

SB said...

SB

Bicycle lanes can easily go in both directions on a one way street, such as on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg. In fact turning the street into a one-way street leaves much more room for bike lines in both directions.

John Mark said...

SB, I like the cut of your jib.

mc said...

The sign is prominent. Unfortunately, it is not stopping drivers from the turn. I saw 2 cars make the turn on Washington today around 5:30PM. There were quite a few pedestrians crossing the road.

The only solution seems to be making Lincoln one-way.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree about making Lincoln one way. In the car drivers' convenience vs pedestrian safety battle this is one that has to go to pedestrians. Drivers just don't give a flying you know what that a left turn onto Washington is illegal. Unless there's a wall built or a traffic cop on duty 24/7 there the cars will never stop taking that left turn no matter what new signs are put in place. We will continue to never use that intersection as pedestrians. Also thanks to those who brought up at the community meeting the length of the walk sign for pedestrians crossing Flatbush in the mornings - it is ridiculously unrealistically irresponsibly short. So short it's like DOT is committing murder by having it that way. Yes I am stating it that strongly. I myself can't make it across Flatbush on the walk sign at a fast pace with my long legs, so I can't imagine any child or elderly person is making it across.