LOHUD--CROTON-ON-HUDSON - CROTON SEEKS TO "DE-MYSTIFY" LIGHT--Highlights only--The traffic light perched on a
3-foot-high brick pedestal in the middle of Grand Street at Old Post
Road South is a piece of village history, but some say it can be a
puzzle for drivers and pedestrians. Known
as a "dummy light," it went from being a stop light to a blinking light
in September 2016, back to a stop light in January 2017 — all
efforts to ease confusion for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. The
village's Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee has now suggested that the
Board of Trustees look into doing something to demystify drivers'
experience with the light and improve safety for all....“There have been a lot of near misses of school kids, even adults
— there is a lot of confusion about crosswalks, about who has right of
way." READ THE REST HERE
Not sure why this was announced this way. Now you have the municipality committee that has told the press about "a lot of near misses" and a Trustee saying that "the dummy light's existence would most likely be one of the aspects" of the evaluation.
ReplyDeleteSo if this is so dangerous that the Village is evaluating the very existence of the light, then if there is a future accident or fatality these 2 people are going to be key to the lawsuit.
The inside of that light is like an old watch. Maybe the Village can upgrade it and fix the conditions which are currently resulting in "a lot of near misses."
I could understand if there had been research done quietly to ascertain the options. But to go public with nothing more than hyperventilating about all the pedestrians almost being hit????
Making statements like that in a public forum covered by news media is not the way to initiate a resolution.
So we're back to encouraging more walking and biking. Do these people ever patronize the businesses in the Upper Village or for that matter, throughout Croton? If they did, they would know that this is the land of the SUV, with very little walking let alone biking along our very steep hilly geography. All the wishing in the world, all the encouraging, all the expensive traffic projects or even getting rid of the dummy light, will never change these facts. Croton is not now nor has it ever been nor will it ever be, some bike riding ambling along Utopia.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest points not being brought up, pedestrians need to know when they can walk into the cross walk at a traffic light, just like the roads, many people are clueless with the rules of the road. We should slow down the speed of the upper village to 20 mph, add pedestrian lights, and open up the cross walks so drivers can see the walkers before they are right in front of them. And people need to use the crosswalks and stop J walking.
ReplyDeleteNever happen. Board's too busy debating resolutions to restore fed budget cuts to Amtrak, as if the White House cares, choosing your energy provider, and rezoning commercial to apartments and making more so-called affordable housing.Oh I almost forgot, they're busy with Croton Pt Avenue too.
DeleteTrashing our history again in a very public way. I've come to expect nothing less from government. As for people not being able to cross the streets, I've lived here all my life and it's never been an issue.
ReplyDeleteWhat needs to be “de-mystified” is the complete lack of Croton pride emanating from the Municipal Building. From repeated declarations—both written & spoken—that retail ‘doesn’t work in this village’, to our obsession with low-end rental apartments, and now having our iconic traffic signal cast in a bad light, Croton appears to have adopted an official governmental policy of surrender. Something to be proud of.
ReplyDeleteWhen it's Red STOP
ReplyDeleteWhen it's Green GO.
Now it's demistified !