The Department of Transportation, has for months been planning on implementing a new traffic pattern on Gerritsen Avenue.
The plan is this: one lane north and south from Avenue W to Nostrand Avenue, effectivly all of Gerritsen Avenue would be one lane. The plan would also include installing bike lanes, making the lanes narrower, and a pedestrian island between Chinar and the New Stores.
DOT was briefly delayed when Councilman Lew Fidler requested a meeting on October 16th for community input. At that meeting it was discussed on how bad of an idea bike lanes would be. DOT’s response was tough luck this is how we are doing it.
Seems now DOT has changed their mind. The new design, is without the bike lane and narrows the roadway by 11 feet through the installation of a painted median, reducing lanes to one lane in each direction, with left turn bays at key intersections.
At the Avenue U/Gerritsen Avenue intersection, a planted pedestrian refuge island will be built on the south leg of the intersection and the northbound left turn will be banned due to very low left turn volumes. The elimination of this left turn will improve the flow of traffic through the intersection and improve safety f or the pedestrians crossing the west leg of Avenue U by eliminating the pedestrian & vehicle turning conflicts.
In addition, left turn bays will be installed on the west leg of Gerritsen Avenue and southbound Avenue U to separate the left turns from the thorough traffic, The left turn study at this intersection was denied on March 10,2009. DOT can reevaluate the need for the southbound left turn signal after the new roadway configuration has been implemented. In addition DOT will increase the length of the left turn bay at the southbound approach to Avenue U to alleviate the issue raised concerning access for the Fire House. This will ensure that the left turning vehicles will not block the through moving lane
DOT will begin implementation of this project beginning next week.
This is horrible. Unbelievable. What a bullshit way to wreck that intersection.
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“It’s all about me now”
Indeed.
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What about a light or a stop sign at Gerritsen and Channel Avenue by Derriks Deli. Kids crossing at that intersection at the back of the school put their lives on the line every day, along with the crossing guard. She goes out into the intersection and signals cars to stop, and they speed up and go around her. They lack of respect for the well being of PS 277 children is comming from “thier own”, cars comming out of the beach. Whats more important, a bike lane and changing something thats not so bad compared to the danger the children are being put in?? Since its also obviously more important to make that light or make it to where ever you are going instead of having that one minute delay, what are we willing to do about this?
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Too bad about the bike lanes. Maybe one day Gerritsen Beach motorists will get it, but it looks like they’re still stuck in the dark ages.
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Why wont they listen to us!!! Most of us have been residents here for a long time and know the problems and complications, although even without their vast knowledge and education most of this is purely common sense. Why is everything a fight with this city? even if we are simply trying to save lives and sometimes money. Our disadvantage is that majority of us work for the city and our schedules prohibit everyone from participating in meetings and rallys. I would love to see them go back to the 4 lane street with some traffic lights is this unreasonable?
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I ride my bike along Gerritsen Avenue and Knapp St. almost every day. But there’s no need for a bike lane. Most people can either ride on the sidewalk from the water at the end practically all the way around to up Flatbush to the Marine PArkway Bridge without ever going in the street. DOT should focus on trimming the trees and fixing the sidewalk along that route. And early in the morning or late at night south fo Avenue W that silly painted divider that takes away one lane in each direction also makes a nice jogging and bike lane.
When did DOT decide pedestrian islands were a great idea? Seems like it’s asking for accidents and collisions. Gerritsen Avenue is not Ocean Parkway. And the traffic alrady backs up at Avenue U. It will now get worse by design.
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It is illegal to ride your bike on the sidewalk. People can, & have, receive tickets for doing so. Bikes are supposed to obey the traffic laws the same as any other moving vehicle. You are supposed to ride in the street with the direction of traffic, or in a designated bicycle lane. Sidewalks are for pedestrians.
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Anon-
True. But north of Avenue W there is an asphalt riding path and a bike path that goes all the way to the MPB and beyond. And south of Avenue W you could could much more easily and safely extend that path along a little-used sidewalk. I’m sensitive to pedestirans not wanting to be struck by bikes, but the sidewalk is little-used and in need or repair on the aprk side. Simply pointing out there are safer alternatives than shutting down 2 lanes of traffic needlessly. Would note similar bike paths along Oriental Blvd. and Rockaway Beach Blvd. are rountinely ignored by motorists anyway and there’s never been much enforcement in either place. And since I also drive in those areas recognize there are better ways to accomodate everyone without causing worse traffic jams.
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Forget it folks. They’re already constructing the pedestrian “refuge”.
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@bagels, Saw DOT out in the middle of Gerritsen this AM consstructing their pointless cement island.Traffic was backed up to Whitney. The debacle has begun in earnest.
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Just wait till the Belt is backed up and all traffic is jammed from Knapp to Gerritsen to Avenue U.
Good times.
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Not wanting to leave Marine Park residents with a nice simple traffic flow, the same crew (orange vests, coffee in hand)is this fine morning erecting the beginnings of a traffic isle on Gerritsen at Fillmore Avenue.
Lived in MP my whole life.There has never been any problem with Gerritsen Avenue’s layout(in fact it’s always been a quick ride all the way), until these goo goo knuckeleheads starting getting big ideas about how to waste tax dollars.
So the whole length of Gerritsen is going to be turned into 1 lane each way with a bike lane few will ever use. Great job! Some poor driver will crash into one of these pointless isles,and then DOT will wake up. Until then keep pouring cement.
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@Bugg, I agree. That corner, Fillmore and Gerritsen has a nice smooth traffic flow, even with the 278 kids getting out at 3. I don’t understand the logic of this. It’s not necessary to have a refuge in the middle because the avenue’s width doesn’t justify it. I thought these things were for corners like Flatbush and U. Where are the politicians now? Oh yeah, the election’s over. What a disgusting waste of money. The city cries poor mouth, raises our taxes and then pulls this crap?
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They nixed the bike lane…
DOT has to continue to make changes and “improvements” or they will be out of jobs!
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One lane from Ave W to Ave U? Dan – do you know if residents were even allowed a say in this, why or why not?
Did they consider (1) the outflow of traffic that merges from Knapp onto Gerritsen (two lane traffic merging to one)? (2) this may not be a huge deal, but what about the houses on Gerritsen who need to back out of their drive-ways into ONE lane of traffic? Oy vey. Its going to be fun waiting behind let’s say a garbage truck when you need to get somewhere with ONE lane open.
The left turn bays might alleviate traffic in some areas, but it won’t alleviate being stuck behind a bus the length of Gerritsen Avenue.
Avenue W is going to turn into the alternate route for many and its congested even now early in the morning.
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Where we need a “pedestrian” island is at the intersection of Gerritsen and Avenue W!!! As a homeowner for over 20 years on W and Gerritsen I have seen many traffic accidents because people take that turn at either a very wide angle (hitting parked cars) or come across the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic. These cars are usually traveling at a very high rate of speed. I, for one, very rarely park on Ave W near Gerritsen. My car has been hit there at least 3 times!!! Now, with more cars trying to avoid Gerritsen and Avenue U, I am sure traffic will be even worse!
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Thank you Councilman for giving us this disaster along with the skate park. You did as you pleased again.
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To the geniuses who got the “bike lane” removed for the gerritsen ave project, the space for the bike lane is still there–its just not marked as a bike lane.
To fidling fidler, keep wasting money by sending us flyers with 20 glossy pictures of your fat arse–maybe it will remind people of how little you actually do and finally vote you out!
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