Jackson Heights Neighborhood Transportation Study

[toddg]

Thanks for posting this, joe41lax!   I have merged this with the main thread on this study to keep the conversation in one place.

The city will present its recommended "Short Term Treatments" from the Jackson Heights Neighborhood Transportation Study on February 12th, 2011 at P.S. 69 (37th Avenue and 77th Street).  A flyer is available here

The city sent out the following email message:


Dear Jackson Heights Community Member:

The NYCDOT is pleased to present its first Transportation Portal to the Jackson Heights community as part of the Jackson Heights Neighborhood Transportation Study.
http://nyc.gov/dot/projects/jackson-heights

This Portal is part of the Study’s commitment to open new lines of communication between the Agency and stakeholders.

We welcome you to explore the Portal through menu items and let us know what you think so far.  Data collected for the study is now available for your use.

Please check back often for news on upcoming Community Meetings and the Study’s proposed short-term treatments!

Thanks,
NYCDOT

[lindsey]

Geez. The visualization of the number of crashes involving pedestrians around the 74th Street/Roosevelt Ave. subway stop is sobering. Our neighborhood has been on the receiving end of some crappy urban planning. I'm glad that the traffic side of things is being addressed.

[toddg]

Streetsblog has a feature on the DOT's new web portal and the upcoming meeting.

DOT will be discussing its preliminary recommendations at the community workshops scheduled for Feb. 12th at P.S. 69.  Here's a flyer with details:
http://a841-tfpweb.nyc.gov/jackson-heights/files/2011/01/Feb-12-Flyer-Final.pdf

[JackofQueens]

Thanks for posting this. Count me in!

[Garciavision]

This looks like the meetings regarding poor snow plowing. Waste of time and no results

[toddg]

The NYC Dept. of Transportation will be holding two community workshops on Feb. 12, 2011 as part of the Jackson Heights Neighborhood Transportation Study.  They'll be revealing their proposed improvements to the neighborhood, and collecting further feedback from the community.



For more information about this initiative, see the Jackson Heights Community Portal

For discussion about this project, see this thread

[MarcusW]

I see that one of the editors of Streetfilms lives in the neighborhood, and has featured some 'natural' traffic calming at intersections. (and relating it to the traffic cones that school crossing guards have been putting down to slow turning cars down at crosswalks).
Something to think about with the upcoming presentation: http://www.streetfilms.org/snowy-neckdowns-redux-winter-traffic-calming/

[Jack Heights]

Has anyone out there gone to the presentation today? I wasn't able to make it, but I'd love to hear what people think.

[Miss Chatelaine]

I was there for part of it and was very impressed with how well they identified specific density and traffic congestion problems and the solutions they suggested.  They said they would be putting up all the details of the various study results and proposed changes on their website this weekend.  (There are a lot, many simple and/or relatively small so I can't do it all justice here)  

What they proposed, especially all combined seemed like it would make a VAST improvement for the community as a whole, in many ways, and for all parties, with minimal disruption.   I have to say I appreciate that these problems are in the hands of these professionals as they seem quite ready and able to solve them for the broadest benefit to the neighborhood.  I hope that others in the community recognize the positive opportunities and potential here and get behind it so all of the changes go through.  

Kudos to the DOT.  This was a good use of money for sure, in my opinion anyway.  

[Tom Lowenhaupt]

I attended the afternoon meeting and made the comment that it might be practicable if the section of 75th Street between 37th Avenue and Roosevelt was made one way south, in conformity with the major proposal of 75th becoming the new south bus route - rather than 73rd.

This offers two advantages:

1. It avoids cars dead-ending at 37th Avenue as they arrive at what is proposed as a  "new" south bound 75th street. Avoiding that left-right decision and pedestrian crossing delays.
2. It provides a route around the 75th street parking lot which all too frequently clogs 75th street and eventually 37th Ave as cars cue awaiting an opening in the lot.

The challenge is getting the passengers off the bus at 37th Avenue. The current proposal is that  htye dpart on the south-west corner of 75th and 37th. But passengers depart on the right of the road and the buss would be traveling in the left lane of the 2 land separated road. Possible solutions:

1. Passengers could depart by Armondo's, before the bus crosses 37th Ave.
2. Do not have a stop at 37th Ave. Next stop = Roosevelt.
3. Reconfigure Elmjack "park" with crossover after the park.

But I would like to hear the history behind the current street configuration before going too far on this. Why so many south bound streets? Perhaps we're overlooking something outside the study area.

Best,

Tom Lowenhaupt
75th Street

[MarcusW]

I was very impressed with the recommendations presented at the study - if you missed it, there's a full recap online here: http://a841-tfpweb.nyc.gov/jackson-heights/about-the-jackson-heights-neighborhood-transportation-study/

[toddg]

We haven't had much discussion of the city's proposed changes to our neighborhood streets.  The changes are significant, and in my opinion a big step forward for pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and quality of life in our community.  But these plans can always benefit from more community discussion and feedback.

The city's recommendations for improvements in the neighborhood are here.
A summary of the feedback provided by the community at the Feb. 12th meeting is here.

What do you think?

[FoxyWiles]

I shouldn't care now that I live in Astoria, where parking is dreamy. But one of the reasons I moved away from JH is the traffic situation. Not only parking, but mainly the behavior of the drivers - like honking at cars in front on the queue RIGHT as the light turns green. Or watching someone try to parallel park their SUV by hitting the cars in the front and back of the spot repeatedly, in order to make room.

A lot people seemed to hate on bike lanes. But how else will you get your food delivered if your delivery guy gets hit?! I own a car, not a bicycle, but I am so pro-bike lines. " Bicycles are a hindrance to drivers" and drivers are a hindrance to pedestrians, what's this person's point?

"People currently don’t know where they can and can’t park – a low-tech solution might involve using yellow paint to designate illegal spots to help motorists. " This makes way too much sense.

"37th Avenue with 73rd and 74th Streets – Don’t Block the Box" Also, this makes too much sense.

"Most of the AM parkers currently are outsiders who use the spots all day." If Jackson Heights hates anythings, it's OUTSIDERS!!!

Wish they would just do a study on why drivers are jerks and don't know that pedestrians have the right of way and it's a d___ move to honk at old people who cross the street too slowly. Like these people are so important and always running late that they have to scare the bejesus out of everyone outside their car.

What's with all the double parking on 35th Ave? People don't even pull all the way over, so you have cross into the on-coming traffic lane when trying to pass them.

[JackM]

A problem I have is all this car talk.  I grew up in car country and, when I moved to NYC, I sold my car.  Haven't missed it since.  The idea of being car-dependent in NYC is crazy.  It seems people want to live this suburban lifestyle in an urban area.  We really need to push for better and more frequent mass-transit.  More pedestrian-only streets, more bike lanes, more car-restricted areas.  In many European cities cars are discouraged.  People own cars but they are used for travel outside the city not for driving around town.  Gas prices are very high which discourages driving.  Because more people are out walking, using public transportation, biking, these cities feel more like villages.  The necessities tend to be closer because people walk or bike to the stores.  Now, don't get me wrong, I like cars and enjoy driving but we rent cars when we want to leave the city or need one for special occasions.  My two cents.

[FoxyWiles]

A problem I have is all this car talk.  I grew up in car country and, when I moved to NYC, I sold my car.  Haven't missed it since.  The idea of being car-dependent in NYC is crazy.  It seems people want to live this suburban lifestyle in an urban area.  We really need to push for better and more frequent mass-transit.  More pedestrian-only streets, more bike lanes, more car-restricted areas.  In many European cities cars are discouraged.  People own cars but they are used for travel outside the city not for driving around town.  Gas prices are very high which discourages driving.  Because more people are out walking, using public transportation, biking, these cities feel more like villages.  The necessities tend to be closer because people walk or bike to the stores.  Now, don't get me wrong, I like cars and enjoy driving but we rent cars when we want to leave the city or need one for special occasions.  My two cents.

How can we have more frequent mass-transit when the MTA is in constant financial trouble?

Yes, having a car is ridiculous when you use it to drive to the supermarket in your own neighborhood because you are too lazy to carry groceries, use a granny cart or take advantage of free delivery. But that's what a lot of people do in outer boroughs. In Astoria, some people drive to the subway stop! That's something people do for the LIRR, but a six block walk?!

Didn't Guiliani propose a plan to require drivers to pay a fee to drive in Manhattan during certain hours? Does anyone else remember this or am I making stuff up?

I don't get why so many non-commercial NYC drivers have SUVs.