speed limits – Brooklyn Bugle

Boerum Hill Speed Limits To Be Reduced

July 17, 2012

The Boerum Hill neighborhood is about to slow down. Last week, the Department of Transportation signed off on a measure to reduce the speed limit from 30 to 20 miles per hour in the largely residential area bounded by Smith Street, and Union, Third and Atlantic avenues. The “slow zone” approval—which, perhaps not ironically comes two months before the Barclays Center arena opens nearby—is meant to deter drivers from using the neighborhood as a short cut to and from the East River bridges.

According to The Brooklyn Paper, the Boerum Hill Association formed a task force to put the new law in place. “It’s an important safety issue. There’s been a significant amount of cut-through traffic here,” says BHA President Howard Kolins.

The zone will be marked with blue signs at all streets entering the area, while the city will paint the new speed limit across the roadway and use speed bumps to encourage motorists to lay off the gas, according to the city.

Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7593

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights, Landmark Preservation

‘Concerned Resident’ Proposes Speed Decrease Along Brooklyn Heights Portion Of BQE

June 7, 2012

An anonymous “Concerned Resident Of Brooklyn Heights” is circulating a proposal to lower the speed limit for large vehicles on the BQE under the Promenade “in order to significantly decrease traffic‐induced vibrations in buildings, a major complaint of local residents.” The author asks that neighborhood citizens and their representatives petition the Department of Transportation.

Specifically, he or she proposes that the clip of I-278 between exit 27 and 29B be reduced to 30 mph for Class 3 vehicles and above (buses, tractor trailers, pickups, vans, campers, motor homes, etc.), noting that “poor road conditions and the speed of large vehicles on Interstate 278 through Brooklyn Heights has a significant impact on the quality of life, specifically when it comes to vibrations in buildings. Resident complaints are rampant as described in The New York Times and Brooklyn Heights Blog.

“Logically speaking, vibrations make it more difficult to live in the neighborhood, rent properties for higher rents and sell properties at higher prices. It also increases maintenance on historical buildings,” the letter states. “Maintenance on the road is carried out occasionally but the fair conditions only last a short period of time before large vehicles pound the roads back into disrepair. Insignificant budgets and an increase in the weight of vehicles over time are compounding the problem. Residents and even those very motorists are affected emotionally and monetarily.”

The “Concerned Resident” suggests that the “easiest, lowest-cost solution” is to lower the speed limit for vehicles FHWA class 3 and higher to a reasonable 30 mph from exit 27 to exit 29B, “resulting in an estimated 2.4 minutes of extra travel time for those vehicles and a significant decrease in building vibration.”

An Institute for Research in Construction study by the National Research Council of Canada is June 2000, is cited, which notes differences in speed reduced vibrations as much as 300%.

References to the author’s claims and statistics are included in the original letter, which you can view as a PDF here: Brooklyn Heights

Thoughts, comments?

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/41803