Neighborhood Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Calming Study for the area bounded by Foster Avenue, Bedford Avenue, Farragut Road and Ocean Avenue Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York prepared by Michael King, miking@trafficcalmer.com for Transportation Alternatives, www.transalt.org and the East 23 rd Street Residents Block Association
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study looks at the possibilities for traffic calming and improved pedestrian safety in the neighborhood bounded by Foster Avenue, Bedford Avenue, Farragut Road and Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Traffic calming is defined by the Institute of Transportation Engineers as the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for non-motorized street users. Traffic calming accomplishes these goals via self-enforcing and self-explaining roadway designs. The solutions presented in this study break down into four locations: A Farragut Road between Ocean and Bedford Avenues, B the intersection of Ocean and Foster Avenues, C Foster Avenue between Ocean and Bedford Avenues, and D the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Farragut Road. A series of pedestrian refuge islands and lane markings are proposed for Farragut Road to control excessive vehicle speeds and assist in crossing the street. Cost estimate: $33,500. Left turn lanes, a leading pedestrian interval and a raised median are proposed for the intersection of Ocean and Foster Avenues to better manage turning vehicles and assist in crossing the street. Cost estimate: $16,000. A series of striped curb extensions are proposed for Foster Avenue to provide better sight lines for drivers and assist in crossing the street. Cost estimate: $35,000. A redesigned intersection with curb extensions, a raised median, left turn lanes, and a leading pedestrian interval is proposed for the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Farragut Road. This will better manage the transition from four to two lanes on Ocean Avenue, better manage turning vehicles and assist in crossing the street. Cost estimate: $325,000. Also included in this study are analytical maps, a time-lapse movie of children crossing Farragut Road, and photomontages of the pedestrian refuge islands and curb extensions.
OCEAN AVENUE north EAST 21 STREET EAST 22 STREET 0 100 200 FARRAGUT ROAD FOSTER AVENUE EAST 23 STREET EAST 24 STREET BEDFORD AVENUE FLATH
50' 70' SCHOOL ROUTE OCEAN AVENUE SCHOOL ROUTE SIX MONTH CRASH DATA Vehicle-Vehicle Vehicle-Pedestrian PROBLEMATIC LEFT TURNS 6V 1P 6V 0P FARRAGUT ROAD EAST 21 STREET EAST 22 STREET EAST 23 STREET FOSTER AVENUE north 0 100' 200' 38 MPH SPEEDS 30 MPH ZONE PS 152 SCHOOL ROUTE 25 MPH TURNS 1V POOR SIDEWALK 0P 1V 0P 2V 0P 25 MPH TURNS 1V 1P HI PED TRAFFIC 25 MPH TURNS POOR SIGHT LINES POOR SIGHT LINES 5-15% TRUCKS NO TRUCK ZONE 2V 0P BROOKLYN COLLEGE SCHOOL ROUTE EAST 24 STREET 25 MPH TURNS 2V 0P BEDFORD AVENUE MIDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FLATH
OCEAN AVENUE stop line school crosswalk left turn lane leading pedestrian interval LPI chicane - pedestrian refuge raised median striped curb extension w/ planters curb extension - bus stop LPI LPI 10' 5' 13' 10' 10'13' 12 ' 10 ' 10 ' 44 ' 13' 10' 13' 33 ' 6' north LPI EAST 21 STREET EAST 22 STREET 0 100' 200' FARRAGUT ROAD FOSTER AVENUE 44' 50' 6' 16' 16' 6'R 10'R 6' 20' 6' 32' EAST 23 STREET EAST 24 STREET LPI BEDFORD AVENUE FLATH
Location A Farragut Road A1 A2 A3 A4 ISSUE ANALYSIS PHASE SOLUTION BALL PARK ESTIMATE 1 Excessive vehicle speeds on Farragut Road Speed limit 30 mph Vehicles parked near intersections along Farragut Road No crosswalks across Farragut Road at East 23 Street Vehicle-pedestrian injury incident at Farragut Road and East 21 Street 85 th percentile speeds in afternoon when children leave school - 38 mph Identified on PS 152 school route map Short term Mid term Long term Short term Install 10-foot lane markings to visually narrow roadway. Install pedestrian refuge islands that also act as chicanes. 12-foot wide islands with a 33-foot offset will yield a design speed of 20-25 mph. Plant the islands with trees, shrubs and flowers. Work with Parks Dept. Add stop lines and paint to curbs. This will more clearly define the intersection. $3500 $30,000 Varies Mid term The chicanes above, by narrowing the roadway at the intersection will encourage people not to park too closely. -- Short term Install marked crosswalks -- Short term Evaluate for all-way stop signs. -- Short term Evaluate for all-way stop signs. -- -- $ 33,500 total Notes 1 - no cost estimate provided if solution is part of usual city budget (crosswalks, stop lines, signal timing, sidewalks).
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ROAD 33' 12' 10' 10' 44'
Farragut Road existing Farragut Road with 10-foot Lane Markings
Children crossing Farragut Road Farragut Road with Pedestrian Refuge Island and Crosswalk
Pedestrian Refuge Island and Crosswalk Green Street Midland Avenue, Staten Island
Naturally occurring chicane during street cleaning (with double and illegal parking)
CHICANE FIGURE: 17-S Notes: The offset width (W) is desirably the lane width minus 4 feet with a minimum of 6 feet. Where there are no lane markings, the actual operating space between parked cars and/or the curb should be used. The speed profile (S) of a single lane shift is 5 mph less than a chicane of the same dimensions. The taper length (L) is determined from the MUTCD formula: L=WS 2 /60 where L is length of taper, W is width the vehicle is forced to shift, and S is desired speed profile. S Speed Profile, mph Taper Lengths W Offset Width feet 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 L Taper Length, ft 10 8 10 12 13 15 17 18 15 19 23 26 30 34 38 41 20 33 40 47 53 60 67 73 25 52 63 73 83 94 104 115 30 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 35 102 123 143 163 184 204 225 40 133 160 187 213 240 267 293 Source: MUTCD 2000. 17-39 (J288804_TC_IMAGES 80702/G)
Location B Ocean Avenue and Foster Avenue B1 B2 B3 ISSUE ANALYSIS PHASE SOLUTION BALL PARK ESTIMATE 1 Problematic left turns at Ocean and Foster Avenues intersection Vehicle-pedestrian injury incident at Ocean and Foster Avenues intersection. All signalized intersections are on PS 152 school routes. Angle of intersection allows higher speed turns. Short term Mid term Long term Install 10-foot wide left turn lanes along Ocean Avenue. Add 10-foot wide raised median along Ocean Avenue between Foster Avenue and Farragut Road. Plant the islands with trees, shrubs and flowers. Work with Parks Dept. See note 2 Short term Add 7 second Leading Pedestrian Interval. Add lagging left turn phase. See note 2 Short term Add 7 second Leading Pedestrian Interval to all signalized intersections in neighborhood. -- $ 16,000 Varies -- -- $ 16,000 total Notes 1 - no cost estimate provided if solution is part of usual city budget (crosswalks, stop lines, signal timing, sidewalks). 2 - Two out of three people hit at signalized intersections in NYC are hit while crossing WITH the green light. Leading Pedestrian Intervals reduce pedestrian injury severity by 64 percent.
Ocean & Foster Avenues
LPI 10' OCEAN AVENUE 13' 13'
Location C Foster Avenue C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 ISSUE ANALYSIS PHASE SOLUTION BALL PARK ESTIMATE 1 Excessive truck traffic on Foster Avenue This is NOT a truck route and is signed as such. High speed turns from Foster Avenue onto side streets Vehicles parked near intersections along Foster Avenue No marked crosswalks across Foster Avenue at East 23 Street Lack of sidewalk at bus stop on southeast corner of Foster Avenue and East 22 Street 5-15% of traffic during peak periods is trucks with 3 or more axles Angle of intersections allows speeds of up to 25 mph. Should be on PS 152 school route map Condition and use of bus stop area warrants concrete sidewalk. Short term Because this is a bus route aggressive traffic calming features are not possible. Requires enforcement and citizens watch. Mid term Install striped curb extensions with planters on 3 corners per intersection. These will allow delivery trucks to be able to turn, but will slow cars down. Location of catch basis makes makes real curb extensions cost prohibitive. Short term Add stop lines from curb to curb. This will more clearly define the intersection. -- $35,000 Mid term The curb extension above will keep people from -- parking too close to the intersection. Short term Install marked crosswalks. -- Mid term Add sidewalk. -- -- $ 35,000 total Notes 1 - no cost estimate provided if solution is part of usual city budget (crosswalks, stop lines, signal timing, sidewalks).
Foster Avenue Not a Truck Route Foster Avenue and East 22 Street Sidewalk Condition at Bus Stop
UE 44' 50' 6' 16' 16' 6' 6'R 10'R 6' 20' 6' 32'
Foster Avenue and East 23 Street existing Foster Avenue and East 23 Street with Striped Curb Extensions and Planters
Planter Compliments of Assemblyman Kaufman, Bronx Planter Herald Square, Manhattan
Location D Ocean Avenue and Farragut Road D ISSUE ANALYSIS PHASE SOLUTION BALL PARK ESTIMATE Ocean Avenue and Farragut Road intersection widens from 50 to 70. Transition from 4 to 2 lanes could be smoother. Sidewalk along Ocean Avenue narrows to 7 at the intersection. Long term Long term Reconstruct intersection with 10-foot wide raised median, additional sidewalk and curb extensions. Plant the medians with trees, shrubs and flowers. Work with Parks Dept. $325,000 Varies $ 325,000 total
Ocean Avenue & Farragut Road Ocean Avenue Striped Median Ocean Avenue narrows from 70 feet to 50 feet at Farragut Road
OCEAN LPI 10' 5' 13' 10' 10'13'
Technical Data Farragut Road Speed Survey Ocean to Bedford Avenues Hand held radar 100 vehicles each survey only vehicles over 20 mph recorded Survey 1: Tuesday 8/20/02 10 am 45 mph - maximum speed 38 mph - 85 th percentile speed 32 mph - average speed 21 mph minimum speed 142/hr - volume Survey 2: Tuesday 8/20/02 2 pm 46 mph - maximum speed 38 mph - 85 th percentile speed 34 mph - average speed 26 mph minimum speed 106/hr - volume Foster Road Truck Survey Ocean to Bedford Avenues Survey 1: Wednesday 10/09/02 8 am 406 - Total vehicles per hour 60 large trucks (3 or more axles) per hour (15%) 2 large trucks turning onto side streets Survey 1: Thursday 10/10/02 1 pm 594 - Total vehicles per hour 60 large trucks (3 or more axles) per hour (10%) 2 large trucks turning onto side streets Survey 1: Tuesday 10/15/02 5 pm 564 - Total vehicles per hour 26 large trucks (3 or more axles) per hour (5%) 2 large trucks turning onto side streets