Fonda Sera sent this page from the Park Slope Neighbors newsletter regarding
traffic issues in the Slope and some solutions that are on the table. FYI: OTBKB supports these efforts and plans to sign the petition.
Dear Park Slope Neighbor,
1) Support PSN's
Traffic-Calming Campaign for Prospect Park West, 8th Avenue &
Union Street
Just about two years ago, New York City's Department of Transportation
unveiled a proposal to change Brooklyn's 6th and 7th Avenues from two-way to
one-way streets. But the response from Park Slope was a loud and
darn-near-unanimous "no, thanks." 2,500 of you signed Park Slope
Neighbors' "One Way, No Way!" petition in a matter of a few days, some 700
neighborhood residents turned out for DOT's presentation in Methodist Hospital's
180-or-so-seat auditorium, the Park Slope Civic Council and Community Board Six
came out against the plan, and just a couple weeks after the proposal was first
hatched, DOT withdrew it, preserving Park Slope's calmer two-way neighborhood
avenues.
unveiled a proposal to change Brooklyn's 6th and 7th Avenues from two-way to
one-way streets. But the response from Park Slope was a loud and
darn-near-unanimous "no, thanks." 2,500 of you signed Park Slope
Neighbors' "One Way, No Way!" petition in a matter of a few days, some 700
neighborhood residents turned out for DOT's presentation in Methodist Hospital's
180-or-so-seat auditorium, the Park Slope Civic Council and Community Board Six
came out against the plan, and just a couple weeks after the proposal was first
hatched, DOT withdrew it, preserving Park Slope's calmer two-way neighborhood
avenues.
Now, we're seeking your support to take the logical next step. For
years, Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue – our neighborhood's only one-way
avenues – have been plagued by speeding, while the intersection of 8th Avenue
and Union Street has been beset by gridlock, causing dangerous conditions for
pedestrians who frequently encounter crosswalks blocked by cars. The
dangerous conditions on these streets was the topic of the Community Bookstore's
inaugural monthly neighborhood forum in October, and at the Civic Council's
"Livable Streets" brunch last month, concern about Prospect Park West, 8th
Avenue and Union Street was the number one thing on people's minds.
years, Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue – our neighborhood's only one-way
avenues – have been plagued by speeding, while the intersection of 8th Avenue
and Union Street has been beset by gridlock, causing dangerous conditions for
pedestrians who frequently encounter crosswalks blocked by cars. The
dangerous conditions on these streets was the topic of the Community Bookstore's
inaugural monthly neighborhood forum in October, and at the Civic Council's
"Livable Streets" brunch last month, concern about Prospect Park West, 8th
Avenue and Union Street was the number one thing on people's minds.
Worse, last September, cyclist Jonathan Millstein was killed in a collision
with a bus at 8th Avenue and President Street. Just last month, a
pedestrian was struck and critically injured at 8th Avenue and Carroll
Street. And speeding is actually worse on Prospect Park West. Near
misses seem like daily occurrences.
with a bus at 8th Avenue and President Street. Just last month, a
pedestrian was struck and critically injured at 8th Avenue and Carroll
Street. And speeding is actually worse on Prospect Park West. Near
misses seem like daily occurrences.
In order to try to improve conditions, we've initiated a campaign asking
the Department of Transportation to make these streets safer for all users by
converting Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue to two-way streets, and by putting
Prospect Park West on a road diet
through the addition of a two-way protected bike lane along the park, between
the sidewalk and parked cars.
the Department of Transportation to make these streets safer for all users by
converting Prospect Park West and 8th Avenue to two-way streets, and by putting
Prospect Park West on a road diet
through the addition of a two-way protected bike lane along the park, between
the sidewalk and parked cars.
We've launched a petition drive, which we took to the streets this weekend
and last, collecting more than 700 signatures in just a few hours. An
electronic version of the petition is now available on our website, and we
invite you to join our campaign to help stop speeding, ease congestion and
improve safety on Prospect Park West, 8th Avenue and Union Street by signing it
now at:
and last, collecting more than 700 signatures in just a few hours. An
electronic version of the petition is now available on our website, and we
invite you to join our campaign to help stop speeding, ease congestion and
improve safety on Prospect Park West, 8th Avenue and Union Street by signing it
now at:
It takes just a few seconds to add your name and make a difference.
On our site, you can also find a wealth of information about this safety
initiative, including a short film
documenting the speeding and gridlock problems (we hit the streets with a
video camera and a radar gun), a list of answers to frequently asked
questions, and numerous links to research explaining why two-way streets are
safer.
initiative, including a short film
documenting the speeding and gridlock problems (we hit the streets with a
video camera and a radar gun), a list of answers to frequently asked
questions, and numerous links to research explaining why two-way streets are
safer.
We know that these proposed changes won't satisfy everyone, that some
people like one-way streets or may have other ideas. But we're convinced
that restoring two-way traffic flow to Eighth Avenue (which was a two-way street
until June 1930) and Prospect Park West is the best way to combat speeding,
unclog the intersection of 8th and Union, and make these streets safer for all
users.
people like one-way streets or may have other ideas. But we're convinced
that restoring two-way traffic flow to Eighth Avenue (which was a two-way street
until June 1930) and Prospect Park West is the best way to combat speeding,
unclog the intersection of 8th and Union, and make these streets safer for all
users.
We hope you'll agree, and that you'll join our campaign by signing the
petition at:
petition at:
I am totally “not understanding” peggy and jeff’s comments. Aren’t the vast majority of streets 2-way? And don’t we all (including my son at the age of 9 on his way to school) negotiate them without being inconvenienced? One way streets, even narrow ones like Carroll, should be banned. A narrow 2-way street forces traffic to “negotiate” and therefore slows it automatically.
If addition to Eric’s well-documented comments about speeding and reduction in traffic by making streets 2-way, there is the psychological “normality” of a 2-way street with one lane that contributes a positive effect. Which streetscape is better: 7th Ave (2-way) or Court/Smith (1-way?)
As for “flooding with cars”…how on earth will reducing the number of lanes from 3 to 2 do this?
I posted the following comment to the Brooklyn Paper web site earlier today, in response to the same claim that converting Prospect Park West would be dangerous for children. In addition, the claim that converting PPW from three southbound lanes to one southbound and one northbound lane would “flood” PPW with cars is just not based in reality. PPW would absorb some traffic from the south, but only that traffic headed to southbound Flatbush, Eastern Parkway or Vanderbilt Avenue. Traffic headed to northbound Flatbush would very likely stick to 8th. Since changing streets from one-way to two-way statistically reduces traffic volume by 10% to 20% (source: Transportation Research Board, among many others), AND we’re proposing removing one lane to add a protected bike lane between the parked cars and the parkside sidewalk, overall traffic on PPW would likely be reduced significantly. And of course, all traffic on PPW would likely hew much closer to the speed limit than it does now.
As for safety, here’s what I wrote on the Brooklyn Paper site:
That logic doesn’t stand up. Currently, there are few traffic lights on PPW, meaning fewer safe places to cross. Yes, if a child is going to cross at a non-signaled intersection, he or she only has to look north for cars. But some of those cars are traveling at highway speeds.
By converting Prospect Park West to two-way, it will add several more traffic lights — meaning more safe places to cross. Reducing PPW to one lane in each direction will also shorten the crossing. And traffic will be slowed down considerably; since vehicle speed is the biggest factor in pedestrian injuries, slowing cars down is the most important thing we can do. From the US DOT:
“The idea that the faster a striking vehicle is traveling, the more damage is done to a struck pedestrian has been documented in a number of studies. One estimate is that about 5 percent of pedestrians would die when struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph at impact; about 40 percent would die for vehicles traveling 30 mph at impact; 80 percent at 40 mph; and nearly 100 percent would die when struck by vehicles traveling at speeds over 50 mph at impact.
“One reviewed study examined about 1,000 urban crashes with pedestrians younger than 20 years of age. It found that compared to crashes with vehicle travel speeds of 10-19 mph, the risk of serious injury (or death) was 2.1 for speeds of 20-29 mph, 7.2 for speeds of 30-39 mph, and 30.7 for speeds of 40 mph or more.”
We can disagree about the best way to achieve this, but inaction and the status quo is not an option.
I have also always found one-way streets more manageable than two-way streets. i am not understanding this.
totally disagree. Crossing with children will become much more dangerous with 2 way traffic, and the access through windsor Terrace circle will flood PPW with cars. these people are crazy!