At the Common Council Legal Committee meeting last Thursday, Councilmember Jason Foster (Third Ward) shared these photographs of accidents that have happened on Green Street--accidents involving drivers rear-ending parked cars. Foster presented the photographs as evidence that Green Street needed more striping.
Green Street currently has yellow lines at the approaches to the intersection with Fairview Avenue, but for most of its length, Green Street was no center line or other lane markings.
Foster pointed out that federal regulations specify that streets with daily traffic of 6,000 vehicles or more must have center lines. The traffic on Green Street meets that threshold. In addition to center lines, Foster argued that Green Street needed white lines to demarcate the parking lane and prevent drivers from rear-ending parked cars.
Somehow it doesn't seem likely a driver who fails to recognize that the car in front is not moving would notice a white line, but maybe it would help. Newer cars would likely beep to warn drivers they had strayed out of their lane.
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Speaking of stripes and zebras... who decides when and where to move pedestrian crossing stripes, like the ones in front of Hudson Hall?
ReplyDeleteNot saying the change is good or bad... just curious if there are now two sets of zebra crossings 15 meters apart, and is this a DPW decision, or does it follow some sort of NY State procedure?
Can we request zebra stripes anywhere?
What is the RFZ (Request For Zebra) process?
May set off some locals who are obsessive about street repairs...
p.s. this change was brought to our attention by local cyclists...
The answer to your question is in this post: https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2025/10/crosswalk-change-in-offing.html
DeleteThe question of how many crosswalks there are and how closely spaced out is entirely immaterial in light of the fact that no one knows what they mean anyway.
DeleteNeither drivers nor pedestrians, by the way. If I'm in my car and stop at a crosswalk for a pedestrian to cross, I get a confused look.
Thank you Gossips -
DeleteThis is the sort of thing that could go into the every other week City Hall newsletter (DPW Section) so that residents do not have to read private blogs across many years and several administrations to follow what is happening.
A few years back, when Stewart’s was redeveloped, there was an approved plan that Stewart’s was going to pay for, to improve the intersection with a landscaped island the would have preserved the right turn lane from southbound Fairview Avenue , created a safer pedestrian crossing and made the intersection into a standard 90 degree cross, like most intersections in the city. That was what the Planning Baird approved. It was then overridden by the State Dot and the current asphalt wasteland was created instead.is it time to revisit the approved plan and petition the DOT to remedy the mess they created?
ReplyDeleteRob Perry provided this information about the corner of Green and Fairview:
DeleteWalter is correct that an island was proposed at Stewart's intersection in the very early alternates. But the geometry of trucks coming southbound on Fairview turning westbound on Green created multiple conflicts, which is why instead the curb was bumped out 6' on the NW corner.
DOT had nothing to do with it. And the Planning Board did approve the Stewart's site plan, but that authority does not extend into city streets.
Sometimes photographs really do tell the story better than words, and the images Jason shared illustrate why Green Street deserves center and lane markings. I'd add Warren Street to that conversation as well. While today's discussion focuses on preventing crashes with parked vehicles, roadway striping does much more than that. Clearly marked center and edge lines help organize traffic, improve driver awareness, and have been shown to reduce vehicle speeds - making streets safer not only for motorists, but for pedestrians and cyclists as well. As Hudson continues to grow - with more residents, businesses, visitors, and people walking every day - WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT OUR STREETS AS COMPLETE PUBLIC SPACES, NOT SIMPLY CORRIDORS FOR MOVING CARS. Sometimes relatively modest improvements - fresh striping, highly visible crosswalks, updated signage, and consistent enforcement - can make a meaningful difference while we pursue larger infrastructure projects.
ReplyDeleteAfter the discussion about the need for striping certain streets, Morris, Foster and Belton agreed: The city does not have the funds to do any of this! That was my takeaway, at least.
ReplyDeleteFoster did say he would bring the issue to Rob Perry's attention at next month's Infrastructure committee meeting. Here is how Rob will respond: You find me enough money, and I will stripe as many streets as you want me to. Right now, though, I can't help you. Sorry.
Lots of talk about long overdue needed improvements but no money to get it done. Someone else will come along on the council in a few years and make the same suggestions, wondering how to make them a reality.
"Rear ending parked cars" ... is a 'driver ed issue' ... NOT a stripping issue ... file this under distraction 'du jure' ... such nonsense!
ReplyDelete