Comments on: The Seed of a Revolution in Red Hook http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:39:29 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: miss representation http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-28898 miss representation Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:33:57 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/#comment-28898 I've noticed traffic measuring devices in Red Hook, so some work is being done to assess the current levels. I know people driving to Fairway are the most dangerous drivers in the Universe, but is there any data about surface street speeds in Red Hook prior to this year? Are you now arguing that poor people and artists don't speed? I mean, the surface streets in Williamsburg are as badly managed as Red Hook, so this strikes me a bit as a gentrification fight by another name. There's not wrong with a gentrification fight, but I do believe it's important to be honest, since the traffic problems there apply to many other places in the city. If the city decides to appease the angry with some housing and zoning changes, what does that do for pedestrian safety? Non-signal traffic calming measures might help, but there is plenty wrong with Van Brunt. Sightlines are awful. On-street parking rules need to be revised to keep cars off the coners. Since there are no signal, you end up practically in the oncoming left lane if you are trying to turn left. I've noticed traffic measuring devices in Red Hook, so some work is being done to assess the current levels. I know people driving to Fairway are the most dangerous drivers in the Universe, but is there any data about surface street speeds in Red Hook prior to this year?

Are you now arguing that poor people and artists don't speed?

I mean, the surface streets in Williamsburg are as badly managed as Red Hook, so this strikes me a bit as a gentrification fight by another name. There's not wrong with a gentrification fight, but I do believe it's important to be honest, since the traffic problems there apply to many other places in the city. If the city decides to appease the angry with some housing and zoning changes, what does that do for pedestrian safety?

Non-signal traffic calming measures might help, but there is plenty wrong with Van Brunt. Sightlines are awful. On-street parking rules need to be revised to keep cars off the coners. Since there are no signal, you end up practically in the oncoming left lane if you are trying to turn left.

]]> By: moocow http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-28867 moocow Tue, 13 Feb 2007 04:01:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/#comment-28867 I "discovered" Red Hook for myself after a BikeKill 2 or 3 years ago. I fell in love with it, rode out there as often as possible weekends and weekdays ever since. I even proposed to my wife on a loading dock by the Buttermilk Channel. I would say that the traffic volume since Fairway has increased 3 fold(? -in my unscientific opinion). As well as the aggressiveness of drivers. Last fall, while watching the newfound endless stream of cars inbound for the store, along raced a Fairway truck, outbound, must have been going 45mph past Hope and Anchor. How squeaky a wheel do we have to be? I "discovered" Red Hook for myself after a BikeKill 2 or 3 years ago. I fell in love with it, rode out there as often as possible weekends and weekdays ever since. I even proposed to my wife on a loading dock by the Buttermilk Channel. I would say that the traffic volume since Fairway has increased 3 fold(? -in my unscientific opinion). As well as the aggressiveness of drivers. Last fall, while watching the newfound endless stream of cars inbound for the store, along raced a Fairway truck, outbound, must have been going 45mph past Hope and Anchor. How squeaky a wheel do we have to be?

]]> By: Q.R. http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-28805 Q.R. Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:09:40 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/#comment-28805 The X means the building has no floor -- it's so the fire department doesn't go in if it burns, since nobody's inside. It's been implemented better since the Worcester Fire in 1999, when six firefighters were killed in an abandoned warehouse. The X means the building has no floor -- it's so the fire department doesn't go in if it burns, since nobody's inside. It's been implemented better since the Worcester Fire in 1999, when six firefighters were killed in an abandoned warehouse.

]]> By: Mitch http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-28799 Mitch Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:41:04 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/#comment-28799 Whenever the idea of mental speedbumps arises, my thoughts turn to the city of Aix-en-Provence, in France, whose old city has beautiful fountains right in the middle of the street. My favorite is <a href="http://www.tedsimages.com/text/dolfnt.htm" rel="nofollow">Les Quatre Dauphins</a>, which sits in the middle of an intersection in the finest part of a beautiful city. I can't imagine that anything like this would ever exist in an American city, but the fountains of Aix are an inspiration, anyway. Whenever the idea of mental speedbumps arises, my thoughts turn to the city of Aix-en-Provence, in France, whose old city has beautiful fountains right in the middle of the street.

My favorite is Les Quatre Dauphins, which sits in the middle of an intersection in the finest part of a beautiful city. I can't imagine that anything like this would ever exist in an American city, but the fountains of Aix are an inspiration, anyway.

]]> By: Clarence http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-28795 Clarence Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:16:30 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/#comment-28795 I LOVE the mental speed hump. I just wish someone had given me a heads up to get video in the area it was placed for before and after comparison (and we could break out the TA speed gun as well) I live in Carroll Gardens and for years I have been running in Red Hook. The streets there have become increasingly dangerous. It seems almost every time I run at least one turning car will try to cut me off in my runs; that NEVER happened five or six years ago. And didn't happen with this regularity until the Fairway moved in. With all the kids in Red Hook, it is only a matter of time until there is another fatal collision. I LOVE the mental speed hump. I just wish someone had given me a heads up to get video in the area it was placed for before and after comparison (and we could break out the TA speed gun as well)

I live in Carroll Gardens and for years I have been running in Red Hook. The streets there have become increasingly dangerous. It seems almost every time I run at least one turning car will try to cut me off in my runs; that NEVER happened five or six years ago. And didn't happen with this regularity until the Fairway moved in. With all the kids in Red Hook, it is only a matter of time until there is another fatal collision.

]]> By: David Chesler http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-28784 David Chesler Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:31:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/the-seed-of-a-revolution-in-red-hook/#comment-28784 Off-topic: What does the symbol on the building mean, the red/white square/X ? I see this on buildings undergoing renovations. Sometimes it's a slash instead of an X, not sure if this has to do with condemnations and rehabilitations. See another example at http://woburn.orfay.com/photo/625928 Off-topic: What does the symbol on the building mean, the red/white square/X ? I see this on buildings undergoing renovations. Sometimes it's a slash instead of an X, not sure if this has to do with condemnations and rehabilitations.
See another example at http://woburn.orfay.com/photo/625928

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