Transportation Alternatives Comments On the Proposed Houston Street Redesign

Testimony Date

January 13, 2004
  • The two-foot raised medians proposed for Houston Street should be similar to those on Upper Broadway in Manhattan, or Queens Boulevard. These well-built medians provide planting beds and protect pedestrians from errant vehicles with short walls at the end of each median. (Median caps.)
  • The proposed median-tips should extend all the way into the crosswalks. The medians proposed by DOT do not extend into the crosswalk. Under DOT’s plan, pedestrians will have no refuge on the medians in the crosswalks, and these medians will allow vehicles to turn at much higher speeds. Geometrically, there is no reason not to extend the medians, given the existing conditions.
  • These intersections need medians that extend into the crosswalk:
  • Elizabeth St., west side
  • Mott St., east side
  • Mulberry St., west side
  • Greene St., west side
  • Wooster St., east side
  • West Broadway, east and west sides
  • Thompson St., east side
  • Sullivan St., west side
  • McDougall St., east side
  • Lafayette St., west side
  • Broadway, east side
  • Transportation Alternatives supports the proposed widening of sidewalks between 6th Avenue and West Broadway on the south side of Houston.
  • Transportation Alternatives supports the proposed redesign of Houston and 6 Avenue. This redesign does a good job of rationalizing motor vehicle behavior and further protecting pedestrians at this intersection.
  • However, the entire redesign of the intersection of Houston and Bowery – regardless of jurisdiction - needs to be rethought. The proposed double left turn lane and the minimal median will make what is already a very dangerous intersection for pedestrians even worse.
  • Houston Street west of 6th Avenue is proposed to be 38 feet wide. Currently, the street varies from about 34 to 44 feet. Transportation Alternatives supports maintaining the street’s current width between 6th Avenue and d Varick Street, and suggests a 40-foot width for Houston west of Varick – a width that would allow for a bike lane.
  • There should be signals and crosswalks at ALL intersections. Some intersections are currently proposed to have none. As has been proven time and again, people in Manhattan are going to cross the street at each and every intersection.
  • Transportation Alternatives recommends a midblock crosswalk at Crosby Street if the median is closed there. There is significant pedestrian traffic there because of the nearby Broadway/Lafayette subway stop. Also pedestrians are used to crossing at the intersection, and should not be forced to detour to Broadway or Lafayette to cross Houston.
  • Transportation Alternatives opposes the proposed left turn lanes at West Broadway. West Broadway is SoHo's main street and should be a gateway, not a traffic funnel. Transportation Alternatives opposes the proposed left-turn bays at Lafayette and on west-bound Mercer as well.
Submitted by rick on February 5, 2008 - 11:48. categories [ ]