Comments on: Updated Version of DOT’s 9th Street Plan http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:16:53 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: alice http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-31754 alice Thu, 17 May 2007 21:47:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-31754 As a local resident, I support this plan. When construction is finished, though, I hope there will be some sort of educational campaign to inform and reiterate traffic laws for cyclists. I'm a cyclist myself, and on my moring ride to and from Prospect Park, I am sometimes more threatened by sporty spandex wearin', land-speed record breakin' riders (you know who you are!) than by automobiles. For example, a fellow cyclist passing on the left at very high speed on a downhill as I was passing a truck double parked in a bike lane. The same cyclist then ran 2 red lights, at high speed. This traffic calming plan won't reduce accidents caused by that kind of aggressive riding. As a local resident, I support this plan. When construction is finished, though, I hope there will be some sort of educational campaign to inform and reiterate traffic laws for cyclists. I'm a cyclist myself, and on my moring ride to and from Prospect Park, I am sometimes more threatened by sporty spandex wearin', land-speed record breakin' riders (you know who you are!) than by automobiles. For example, a fellow cyclist passing on the left at very high speed on a downhill as I was passing a truck double parked in a bike lane. The same cyclist then ran 2 red lights, at high speed. This traffic calming plan won't reduce accidents caused by that kind of aggressive riding.

]]> By: nicole http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-31730 nicole Thu, 17 May 2007 16:16:37 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-31730 how can anyone oppose people having a safe lane to ride their bike in. cars can not rule our neighborhoods, and isn't it yucky if they do? how can anyone oppose people having a safe lane to ride their bike in.
cars can not rule our neighborhoods, and isn't it yucky if they do?

]]> By: Konrad http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-31707 Konrad Wed, 16 May 2007 18:33:11 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-31707 Lots of discussion is swirling around biker concerns, double parking and u-turns. I wouldn't say that the proposed solution is the silver bullit, but, one thing does stand out: there will be less injury and death as a result. I find it hard to hold on to my own concerns once I think about a child or even an adult who has that extra margin of safety. Lots of discussion is swirling around biker concerns, double parking and u-turns. I wouldn't say that the proposed solution is the silver bullit, but, one thing does stand out: there will be less injury and death as a result. I find it hard to hold on to my own concerns once I think about a child or even an adult who has that extra margin of safety.

]]> By: Aaron Naparstek http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-31649 Aaron Naparstek Tue, 15 May 2007 14:46:21 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-31649 Myra, First off, what evidence to you have that the plan will produce more congestion? There is actually quite a bit of evidence that this plan will be a huge boon to your street. Check out the study on "Road Diets" that we have posted here on Streetsblog. What I think is great about this plan is that rather than DOT treating your street as a four-lane highway and truck traffic route, this re-design configures 9th into much more of a neighborhood street -- a place for walking, biking, loading your car with groceries, sitting out on the sidewalk eating lunch. Second, Ninth Street isn't just a residential street. It's a community street with businesses, restaurants, subway stops, the YMCA, post office and an entrance to Prospect Park. What happens on this street concerns far more people than a block association representing the nice brownstones above 7th Avenue. Asserting that only residents have a claim on 9th Street is not right. Ninth is one of the most dangerous and crash-prone streets in the neigborhood. Leaving it as is is unacceptable. This is why nearly 400 people have responded to Park Slope Neighbors and T.A.'s call for letters of support for DOT's plan. The vast majority of these letters came from Park Slope residents. At least 20 letters and emails have come from your neigborhors, 9th Street residents like yourselves. Here is a particularly powerful letter: Dear Borough President Marty Markowitz: I led my neighborhood in a successful endeavor to make 9th street a safer thoroughfare for both pedestrians and vehicles in August 2005. Your support at that time made a huge difference (the result that had the greatest impact was the new traffic light installed at 10th street that slows traffic entering the 9th st intersection). There is a new initiative to make changes to the street that further fulfills on making 9th street safe. I am referring to the DOT plans to reduce the two lanes to one and adding bike lanes and a meridian in the middle. Having looked at the proposal, I see that it is a safety win/win for pedestrians and vehicles and not only support the plan myself, but believe that the 1200 people that signed the 2005 petition would support this step toward safety and traffic calming as well. I request your support once again in urging DOT to move forward with this improvement. Thanks. Sincerely, Konrad Kaletsch XXX Ninth Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 Myra,

First off, what evidence to you have that the plan will produce more congestion? There is actually quite a bit of evidence that this plan will be a huge boon to your street. Check out the study on "Road Diets" that we have posted here on Streetsblog.

What I think is great about this plan is that rather than DOT treating your street as a four-lane highway and truck traffic route, this re-design configures 9th into much more of a neighborhood street -- a place for walking, biking, loading your car with groceries, sitting out on the sidewalk eating lunch.

Second, Ninth Street isn't just a residential street. It's a community street with businesses, restaurants, subway stops, the YMCA, post office and an entrance to Prospect Park. What happens on this street concerns far more people than a block association representing the nice brownstones above 7th Avenue. Asserting that only residents have a claim on 9th Street is not right.

Ninth is one of the most dangerous and crash-prone streets in the neigborhood. Leaving it as is is unacceptable.

This is why nearly 400 people have responded to Park Slope Neighbors and T.A.'s call for letters of support for DOT's plan. The vast majority of these letters came from Park Slope residents. At least 20 letters and emails have come from your neigborhors, 9th Street residents like yourselves.

Here is a particularly powerful letter:

Dear Borough President Marty Markowitz:

I led my neighborhood in a successful endeavor to make 9th street a safer thoroughfare for both pedestrians and vehicles in August 2005. Your support at that time made a huge difference (the result that had the greatest impact was the new traffic light installed at 10th street that slows traffic entering the 9th st intersection).

There is a new initiative to make changes to the street that further fulfills on making 9th street safe. I am referring to the DOT plans to reduce the two lanes to one and adding bike lanes and a meridian in the middle. Having looked at the proposal, I see that it is a safety win/win for pedestrians and vehicles and not only support the plan myself, but believe that the 1200 people that signed the 2005 petition would support this step toward safety and traffic calming as well.

I request your support once again in urging DOT to move forward with this improvement. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Konrad Kaletsch
XXX Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215

]]> By: myra podorson http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-31648 myra podorson Tue, 15 May 2007 14:18:33 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-31648 your 9th street plan will produce more congestion and make the street less safe as people try to move their cars down the street. the residents of the block are against the plan and their opinions should be given a great deal of weight -- just as the local community should be given a great deal of weight against ratner's disaster. your 9th street plan will produce more congestion and make the street less safe as people try to move their cars down the street. the residents of the block are against the plan and their opinions should be given a great deal of weight -- just as the local community should be given a great deal of weight against ratner's disaster.

]]> By: da http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-30792 da Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:34:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-30792 Anonymous cyclist, Quieter, less dangerous streets don't need bike lanes, because they're quieter and less dangerous. The streets that need bike lanes are the busier, more dangerous ones, like 9th St. Anonymous cyclist,

Quieter, less dangerous streets don't need bike lanes, because they're quieter and less dangerous. The streets that need bike lanes are the busier, more dangerous ones, like 9th St.

]]> By: jimbob http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-30703 jimbob Wed, 11 Apr 2007 22:41:17 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-30703 Good god - will there ever be a day that everyone understands that NYPD, not DOT, does enforcement? In response to the rest of your inaccurate comments, see Aaron's more recent post addressing the common misconceptions. Good god - will there ever be a day that everyone understands that NYPD, not DOT, does enforcement?

In response to the rest of your inaccurate comments, see Aaron's more recent post addressing the common misconceptions.

]]> By: anonymous http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-30683 anonymous Wed, 11 Apr 2007 16:49:34 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-30683 I'm a cyclist, and to be honest, while it looks like we're being looked out for I think there should be bike lanes on quieter, less dangerous streets...not 9th street. Another problem exists exists when you don't allow the residents of those streets to double park so they can pick up packages & passengers because of bike lanes. DOT is way too "on it" when it comes to ticketing as it is. Now things will get worse. What they should do is have DOT restrain or ticket pedestrians that insist on moving further and further into the crosswalks, effectively pinching traffic between themselves and cars waiting to make a turn. I'm a cyclist, and to be honest, while it looks like we're being looked out for I think there should be bike lanes on quieter, less dangerous streets...not 9th street. Another problem exists exists when you don't allow the residents of those streets to double park so they can pick up packages & passengers because of bike lanes. DOT is way too "on it" when it comes to ticketing as it is. Now things will get worse. What they should do is have DOT restrain or ticket pedestrians that insist on moving further and further into the crosswalks, effectively pinching traffic between themselves and cars waiting to make a turn.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-30675 Glenn Tue, 10 Apr 2007 22:12:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street-plan/#comment-30675 I give them credit for coming up with a solution that can be rapidly implemented without major reconstruction that could achieve quite a bit toward reducing accidents. But the jury is out over how effective this will be in practice. One thing that really needs to be addressed is the double parking issue. The city really needs to reform curbside access and the notion that the best use of that space is for long term (more than an hour) automobile storage. You can't just block all access for pick-up and drop-offs on a street. There needs to be swing space available at the curb for this. I give them credit for coming up with a solution that can be rapidly implemented without major reconstruction that could achieve quite a bit toward reducing accidents. But the jury is out over how effective this will be in practice.

One thing that really needs to be addressed is the double parking issue. The city really needs to reform curbside access and the notion that the best use of that space is for long term (more than an hour) automobile storage. You can't just block all access for pick-up and drop-offs on a street. There needs to be swing space available at the curb for this.

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