The Jogging Jeweler

| Broadway & Clinton/Oak St. Crosswalk  #3 |

Oh...Broadway & Clinton/Oak Street in Dobbs Ferry - always a willing participant to provide documentation for this quest to make our streets safer.

Problem(s): This intersection is a doozie! So, based on the above experience I want to review some of the issues at this particular intersection and then review potential solutions.

1. Broadway is owned and managed by NY state.
2. People do not stop for pedestrians.
3. There are 6 directions vehicles can travel at this intersection.
4. The crosswalks have blind spots.
5. People do not obey the "Do Not Block Side Road"
6. Lack of turn lanes

Solutions: The entire purpose of this blog is raise awareness. Broadway is owned and managed by NY State, to make any sort of changes we need NY state to pay attention, approve, fund, and apply the changes. What sort of changes could be made at this intersection? Do we really have to rely on just the state to make an impact at this location? Well, let's discuss solutions to each of the above bullets.

1. Speak up - purposefully & often! Make a stink about it. Write letters offering solutions, not just negativity & complaints, to the editor of the Rivertown Enterprise. Email this blog to Nita Lowey or Eliot Engel to show them our villages want and need the state to address these safety concerns. If they don't realize there is a problem they can not address it. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
2. Crosswalks - USE 'EM! - Don't you like when someone holds the door open for you? They do it, you say thank you, and I bet they'll do it again or maybe you'll do it for someone else. Use the crosswalks in and around town. Count how many people pass, and when someone does stop, wave, say "thank you"! Our local PD is pretty awesome, and pretty busy, so asking them to enforce stuff can sometimes get inundating and petty, if we can apply good old manners and courtesy - who knows maybe we'll become the friendliest (and safest) Rivertown!
3. Eliminate a direction of traffic. Most villages, towns, and cities have one way streets, this particular intersection could benefit from such. Think about it - if Oak St was one way heading towards Main Street, the left and right turns out of Oak would no longer exist. It would reduce congestion, improve visibility for pedestrians as well as drivers, cut back on noise (honking - I am going to count the honks one of these days), and stop the frequent collisions at this intersection.
4. Move them crosswalks. The crosswalk for Broadway pokes out from parked cars that oncoming traffic can't see pedestrians behind. It forces drivers to stop in the middle of three streets intersecting. And is located at the peak of hill. What could be a better location? Perhaps one leading out from South's sidewalk? Or maybe crossing in line more with Oak, not Clinton? Or both? Make a suggestion in the comments below!
5. Read the sign - It says - STATE LAW: DO NOT BLOCK THE SIDE ROAD. Did you know that sign was there? (Now you do :-D) Again - I think applying general courtesy and allowing people to use the road even when you are stopped, waiting for the light is worth while and ya know, the law too.
6. Add a turn lane. Another ask from the State of New York, but it would alleviate congestion, remove stopped vehicles from flowing traffic, and would make the road narrower, slowing traffic down, which is safer for everyone.

Did you know?

There are four basic steps in solving a problem:

1. Defining the problem.

2. Generating alternatives.

3. Evaluating and selecting alternatives.

4. Implementing solutions.

 - Mind Tools

Identifying the problem, generating solutions, selecting what works, and putting them into place to see if they work for us will take more than just one jeweler out jogging! How can you help???

1. What solutions do you have? - Comment below!
2. Can you expand on the ideas above, enhance them? - Share your ideas!
3. Have you lived in or heard of other towns trying something new? - Show me!
4. Visiting another town that's doing something cool? - Take a picture & email it: thejoggingjeweler@gmail.com