Pedestrians defy the Don’t Walk sign at 96th street and Broadway.
Clearly, the muckity-mucks on the Upper West Side are reading your comments. Because Council member Helen Rosenthal’s communications director contacted West Side Rag to insure us that she is working to change the timing of the turn signal on 96th street and Broadway. That intersection was redesigned to boost pedestrian safety, but a delayed left-turn signal has confused pedestrians.
People waiting to cross Broadway at 96th are supposed to wait until after left-turning cars cross before they step off the curb. But instead they’ve been walking across the street en masse after the direct-moving traffic finishes. At that point the Don’t Walk signal is still up to allow left-turning cars to go, but pedestrians –out of impatience or confusion — have been walking anyway. Obviously, this leads to dangerous situations (though it does not appear that this was the cause of Wednesday’s crash that injured a 10-year-old).
Rosenthal’s ofice is now talking to the Department of Transportation about a fix — the solution they’re eying is to make the left-turn light start sooner. Right now the signal is slightly delayed after the direct-traveling traffic stops, said Stephanie Buhle in Rosenthal’s office. “We’d like the left-turn light to turn green sooner, perhaps before the regular stoplights turn red.”
Let us know in the comments if you think this solution makes sense.
Yes and No. Yes it makes sense if the light changes earlier. No, it makes no sense if the the northbound traffic stops and cars zooming north wanting to make a left turn, still have the light. Imagine this scenario: the left turn signal begins while the northbound signal is green. The NB signal turns red but the left-hand signal remains green. Cars heading north stop but late-arriving cars wanting to turn still have their light AND THEY DON’T SEE PEDESTRIANS CROSSING BECAUSE THEIR VIEW IS BLOCKED BY THE NB CARS/TRUCKS/BUSES.
Just make the intersection a no turning intersection, there are plenty of those in the city.
Why not move the left turn signal to 97th Street where it can still get access the the West Side Highway but not impede pedestrian traffic to the subway entrance? And while they’re at it, bring back the left turn onto 95th Street from Broadway which doesn’t get as much pedestrian traffic? They changed this some time last year to make the left turn further down on Broadway and doesn’t make sense to me…
Personally, I think many of the incidents that occur are on the fault of the person not the driver. Cops should start issuing tickets in this area, specifically, due to all the accidents that happen every single week. I hate having to hear about one person being hit one day, and another the next. What else can be done? The line changes on the road obviously haven’t helped a ton. More needs to be done for the safety of everyone.
I walk to this intersection all the time and I, without fail, see lots of people crossing against the light. That doesn’t give drivers the right to mow them down, but there is some culpability on the part of the pedestrian.
There are still tunnels from the platform back around up to the street – the way has been blocked by a wall put up during the renovation, but it’s still there I’m sure. Wouldn’t restoring that remove the problem entirely?
“ensure”, not “insure”. They’re making the community sure about something, they’re not writing an insurance policy.
Actually, it’s “assure”, not “ensure” (or “insure”). Rosenthal’s office is promising to do something, not guaranteeing it, so she is giving you “assurance” that she’s working to change the situation, not guaranteeing the outcome.
Bottom line……….Jaywalkers are doomed to their own demise……. They can’t read the cross signals ??? That’s all it takes to observe the cross signals……PERIOD !!
Hear, hear!
I drive / walk through this area quite a bit, and it is insane the number of pedestrians who continue not only to cross against the walk signal (as we all have done at one point or another), but who do it in the face of oncoming traffic, and who do it in an intersection known for danger. It’s time for us to let the pendulum swing back towards the middle where we (pedestrians and drivers) share the responsibility for each others’ safety. We can put all the rules we want against the drivers, but we will only truly be safe when we all are participants.
I live at this intersection. No fix is perfect but Ms. Rosenthal’s solution should help. Ultimately it is up to we pedestrians to understand that every car within sight of that intersection is potentially a dangerous weapon. Be careful out there, people!
Timing of a light signal they contact you.
Other major issues concerning the community (crime, shelters, landmarking, taxes, garbage), not so much.
How’s that NYPD slowdown working for you?
Stupid idea
Thanks for the insight, Terry!
96th & Broadway has just become a pedestrian mall. I would like to start by keeping traffic wardens at that site, not just one directing car traffic but also a couple on the island directing foot traffic. A traffic police presence is necessary. I’m a pedestrian and usually side against cars, but in this case pedestrians really are to blame here. Pedestrians constantly jay walk at that intersection totally ignoring the don’t walk sign.
It’s an area that needs to be fixed. How about timing the signals so that southbound traffic is stopped (red) allowing west bound turners free passage. At the same time that an arrow allows left turners to go the northbound will still have green with both turning red at the same time. Pedestrians won’t cross if the northbound traffic is still moving.
Having seen this problem constantly, I see two options.
First, extend the uptown green throughout the time the left turn is on (with the downtown green being red, of course). The problem arises because people step out as soon as the uptown green turns red, creating the problem with the now-subsequent left turn going green at that point and people being in the crosswalk.
This still leaves the problem that the uptown traffic often peters out, and people then start across. So the second option could be to start the left turn start with the uptown green and holding the downtown traffic until the left turn is finished. That would have the left turn shut off well before the uptown green went red, minimizing the likelihood of anyone heading into the eastbound crosswalk and being caught unaware of moving traffic.
Coincidentally, below is a letter I sent yesterday to Commissioner Trottenberg yesterday on exactly this issue. It contains a second suggestion that will help even more than fixing the lights.
Dear Ms. Trottenberg:
I know that the residents of the City appreciate the work that the Department of Transportation has done and continues to do to make the streets safer for pedestrians.
The department has done quite a bit of work on the 96th and Broadway intersection, however, there is one aspect of the light sequencing that is extremely unsafe and can and will result in accidents in the future. Fortunately it is easy to fix. I use this intersection almost every work day morning and my suggestions are based on personal experience.
When the northbound light on Broadway turns red pedestrians start to cross the intersection. At that point the left arrow turns green. Pedestrians are always in front of the cars when automobiles get a green arrow to turn left. The easiest way to fix this is to stop the southbound traffic earlier and turn the left turn arrow green BEFORE THE REGULAR LIGHT TURNS RED. This will eliminate a major problem.
I’m sure you are aware that the danger at 96th and Broadway is a new phenomenon. It was created when the MTA decided, in its infinite wisdom, to move the entrances to the subway from the East and West side of Broadway to the center. It’s a beautiful station but it seems to me that it hinders rather than helps access to the station. Perhaps Andrew Albert knows why it was built.
I believe the 96th street entrances still exist on the east and west side of Broadway and if if you can convince the MTA to reopen them it will make the entire area much safer for pedestrians as well as motorists. I understand that there was another accident at this intersection yesterday where a child was hit by a taxi.
The first step is to fix the light sequencing. That’s easy. Reopening the subway entrances may be more difficult.
Great letter. I’ve always felt that having the entrance in the middle island of two way traffic was always a mistake. Pedestrians spill out on to the street going into and coming out of the subway and looking for oncoming traffic seems a secondary thought (which I can understand, that island can get very crowded esp at rush hour)
yes.
Steven, I see two major problems with re-opening the original subway entrances.
1) There is no access for handicapped people or strollers. Riders had to walk up or down two steep narrow staircases to get to the platform.
2) The sidewalks are narrower now since the new station was built and would get quite congested at the old/new entrances.
I would love to see the Broadway island on the north side of 96th Street turned into a subway entrance. That would prevent all subway riders living north of 96th Street from having to cross to the south side of the intersection. Similar to the 72nd Street Station. I’m sure that would be a big project, having to extend the platform, etc., but it would help a great deal.
The sidewalks are narrower than they were before? How do you figure? There’s not even a tenant at the 96st street SW corner, hasn’t been for years. Guys selling knock-off sheets occupy the spot where the old entrance was.
I’m not saying close the island entrance. Just reopen the old ones.
I agree completely that creating the center island head house for the subway is driving a lot of this problem. Now, everyone using the subway has to cross the street. In the old system of people exit and enter the subway on both sides of Broadway at 96th, greatly reducing the interactions between cars and pedestrians. Plus, with the stairs moved closer to 95th St, people have to walk an extra block to go between the buses and subway.
I live at 95th and Bway, and I think starting the green turn signal earlier will help, particularly if it turns green while the northbound traffic is still moving. This means, though, that the southbound traffic will need to have a red signal at that point. That should be fine, but I’m sure that there are other aspects of traffic engineering and human factors engineering to consider. Extra signage for pedestrians crossing from the island to the east side of Bway may be helpful, too.
I do want to note that the recent accident involving a child hit by a livery vehicle heading northbound on Broadway appears to have nothing to do with this specific issue and instead seems to speak to pedestrians putting themselves at risk.
Improving the intersection design and timing of lights can help, but some factors may require other types of interventions.
Question: What would be the community uproar if the West Side Arts Coalition (WSAC) https://www.wsacny.org (that building on the North Side of the subway station) was renovated into a Subway entrance?
It makes sense and would decrease the number of people using the exit on the south side of 96th Street.
How many of you have visited WSAC? Would it be missed? I’m not one for losing museum space, and I love supporting local artists. Would this cause an uproar? Could WSAC be transplanted elsewhere?
People on the MEDIAN, heading west on 96th,, see the “DON”T WALK” sign facing them, but they aLSO look RIGHT and see that traffic heading south has stopped – and, w/o observing the left=turn signal BEHIND them, they start across the street. NO! It won’t help to permit cars to turn left EARLIER UNLESS A LARGER BLINKING RED ‘DON’T WALK” sign is posted and blinks at least 10 seconds EARLIER than the left-turn signal on that southwest corner. Whatever is decided should be planned w/o use of traffic police.
I used to never have to turn left on 96. But in the past months, coming from the highway you can not turn left on WE. So you have to go up to Broadway and then use that very dangerous left on 96th.
I have used this cross many times now, as a driver. Pedestrians cross and the cars can’t go through. I had to honk so many times in order to slowly make my way and not touch somebody.
Being a mother of 3 kids, I am all for safety on the street.
This cross has to be properly addressed but the solution has to take into account not just the turn from Broadway to 96th, but the impact on the other streets and their main traffic flows (e.g. incoming traffic from the highway on 95th).
In response to my complaint to the DOT, I received a letter from Margaret Forgione the agency’s Manhattan Commissioner that reads, in part: “In January of 2014, two pedestrians were fatally struck at this intersection within 10 days of each other. In resonse to the dangers of this intersection, NYC DOT undertook a study to improve pedestrian safety. . . .By banning certain left turns and reconfiguring the signal timing, DOT was able to provide an additional safe crosswalk. . . . Removing pedestrian crossings would be counter to the recommendations of both the community and agency and would not provide adequate safety measures. . . .For these reasons, the agency will not (sic!!!!) be investigating allowing vehicles to turn simulataneously which was a condition that was already attempted in 2003 and was removed for safety considerations in 2004.”
I suspect Ms. Forgione is unaware of the the latest accidents ……
Nope. Not at all. It is still TOO EASY for pedestrians to cross to the middle. You did the exactly wrong thing by narrowing the lanes and restricting the cars; you made the pedestrians think they can jump across really quickly.
Reopen the entrances at the corners. Problem solved.
I doubt if reopening the entrances at the north corners (one can always use the south entrances at 94th/93rd) is going to make much of a difference. People will continue to jaywalk to avoid one or two flights of cramped, slippery stairs. (And back up again, because they need to add money to their Metrocard…)
After following these comments throughout the day this afternoon around 3:pm I had to make a quick trip to the new Radio Shack on 96th B/way. As I approached the intersection there was no traffic warden directing traffic. I looked all around and bingo! there he was sheltered under the T-Mobile canopy…. just standing there….just standing there.
I’ve been following some of these comments this afternoon on and off. At about 3pm I had to venture out to Radio Shack on 96th B/way. As I approached the intersection I looked all around to see if there were any NY Traffic cops…then in the corner of my eye I spotted one sheltered under the T-Mobile canopy….just standing there. 🙂
If the subway entrance is to stay in the median, and they want safety, they need to put a bridge over the street from the sidewalk. I hate having to cross there between the cars, confusing signals, and crowds waiting, and always go to 103rd street or 94th street, where the entrance is on the sidewalk, if I have time. Very badly designed.
I was at this crosswalk on Friday at 5:30 pm – prime rush hour with lots of people crossing. I was happy to see a traffic officer there – until I saw that he was just watching people cross while that turn light was green, just shaking his head. NOT A WORD out of him to stop them from crossing – I couldn’t believe it.
perhaps this is because of the police slowdown? This intersection makes no sense. Cars are funneled into a narrow passage. Pedestrians are determined to get across. Not a good mix when humans and vehicles are vying for the same space. Opening the old entrances on the corners would be beneficial. Even if they were exit only it would help with surface congestion in the crosswalks
Latest in the traffic officers in the crosswalk: I left the 96th St. subway station two nights ago (again during rush hour, lots of people using that intersection) to see two of them there – hanging out and chatting in front of TW Cable – not paying any attention to the crosswalk. Just unbelievable. As usual, there were people who started to cross right before that turn signal turned green and almost got hit.