A Traffic Safety Issue That Affects All Our Children. Help Us Prevent a Tragedy.

CROSSWALK BACKGROUND AND UPDATE
Supervisor Feiner—and the proposed crosswalk engineer—will be holding a community meeting on Saturday, November 19, at 10:00 am at Crane’s Pond to discuss the Crane's Pond raised crosswalk. By way of background:

• The raised crosswalk has been requested by Edgemont residents for years.
• The raised crosswalk has been recommended by the Town of Greenburgh Police Department.
• The raised crosswalk was recommended by an independent traffic-safety consultant hired by the Town.
• The raised crosswalk has the support of the Town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Town Planning Board.
• The Town Board has approved Town Recreation funds to pay for the crosswalk (subject only to the report and final recommendation of the traffic engineer.)
• For additional background information on the crosswalk, see this link.

RESIDENT FEEDBACK NEEDED
Despite the above-listed Town support, Mr. Feiner has indicated he will support the recommendations of the majority of people who attend the 11/19 meeting. To ensure the building of the long-requested raised crosswalk, the Edgemont Association believes it is important for the neighborhood to show its support for the raised crosswalk. If you're able to attend the 11/19 meeting, we'll see you there. If you cannot attend, PLEASE POST A COMMENT BELOW. We will print all comments and deliver them to the Town.

All comments are welcome; but hopefully you can voice your support for the crosswalk.

Best regards,
The Edgemont Association

 

 

Comments

[Travis]

I'm an Edgemont resident and am concerned about the dangerous pedestrian environment at the intersection of Barclay and Edgemont Roads. I'll be out-of-town on 11/19, but I wanted to voice my support on this blog. I agree with the Greenburgh Police Department, the independent traffic safety consultant, the Town's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Town Planning Board that the raised cross walk should be built!

[Frank Kaiman]

I also support the raised crosswalk that was recommended by the Police Department and Adler Consulting (the independent consultant)and approved by the Advisory Board and the Planning Board. I too may be out of town on November 19 and unable to attend. I urge my fellow residents to support the crosswalk.

[sara]

I will be unable to attend the meeting, but definitely support the crosswalk. I have nearly been hit by a car so many times while pushing a baby in a jogging stroller at this intersection! I see kids from the HS and JH walking there all the time... it scares me to think about my kids possibly getting hit.

I'd also like to plug a sidewalk all the way up Edgemont road from the pond to the high school. There is no where to walk and it's a blind corner and I'm scared a child is going to get hit by a car someday.

[Steve]

I just read this blog post as well along with the previous blog post where Mr. Feiner states, "I...will support the recommendations of the majority of people at the [11/19 raised sidewalk] meeting.

Maybe I don't understand this correctly (someone please enlighten me), but I thought the issue of the raised cross walk has gone through all the proper channels and been approved by the above-listed groups at the Town. Why would the fate of the crosswalk (and Mr. Feiner's support) now be based on public attendance on a Saturday morning meeting?

[Steve]

By the way, I support the raised cross walk.

[Jennifer Darger]

Crane's Pond is a gathering point for our neighborhood. Getting to it should not be a life-or-death risk. I will not be able to be at the Saturday morning meeting because of a conflict with a high school sporting event, but I support the raised sidewalk. It will benefit everyone in our neigbhorhood, from preschool children going to feed the ducks at the pond to junior high and high school students walking to school.

[Valerie Mayer Torcia]

I live on Artillery Lane and have since 1959. I have seen the vehicle traffic on Edgemont Road increase in frequency and SPEED over the years. Of course, we need a cross walk. The only people who could possibly object would be the ones who are driving way too fast. The cross walk should be a done deal by now. Why is there any hesitation?

[Susan]

We support the raised crosswalk. I am always reluctant to allow my kids to go to the pond because of the way people drive and the lack of the raised crosswalk. Why would anyone be opposed to it? Please keep our neighborhood safe and allow this. People, even our neighbors, do not always drive safely or slowly. We have been trying for years to get s speed bump or even a sign on our street. Why is it that it's so diffIcult to pass these small measures? These are measures to keep our children safe!

[Kate]

Our family supports the proposed raised crosswalk, and we hope that this is the beginning of an effort to make all frequently used pedestrian routes, whether by school children, commuters, dog walkers, or those out for pleasure and exercise, SAFE!

We regret that we will not be able to attend the meeting on November 19th, but thank you for this opportunity to voice our support for the raised crosswalk.

[andrea kaplan]

I support the cross walk at the pond and echo previous comments about the area being a gathering place for our community as well an area where kids cross to get to and from high school. It should be safe and accessible. I would also like to see a sidewalk from white oak down to the cross walk! we worked with the high school back when the corner of artillery was planted to create a quasi path, clearing out the weeds and brush and lining the path with leftover wood chips. but it is long overdue for a clean up and new chips, which should be plentiful after the recent storm. This is all school property though, so not a greenburgh matter.

[Rod O'Shea]

It's a mystery to me that the Surervisor needs a crowd at the pond to give him approval. We as directors of the EA, and all the above mentioned agencies and persons have already given professional and just simple common sense approval for years. I don't want to feel that the Supervisor is looking for a photo op, but what else could it be.
This is the second issue in two months that he has used to come into the community without giving the full reasons for his actions.
Of course I give my support as I have for years. I feel the town has misused the valued time of residnts and members of the EA and residensts on this matter taking years to comply to what is simply common sense and professional decision.
Rod O'Shea

[Bill Darger]

Our family supports the raised crosswalk. As I understand it, all relevant town organizations have approved it, as has a safety expert. The concern we have is that at that point, Edgemont Rd. is a way for people to get from Hartsdale to Central Ave. Some drive quickly down the Pipeline, then turn onto Edgemont Rd. and continue quickly. Edgemont is windy, adjacent to the pond, in a residential area, and a way kids walk to the Jr./Sr. High. The cross walk will help remind drivers to slow down.
Bill Darger

[Alison Bernstein]

I live on Edgemont Road and frequently walk down to the pond with my three kids - crossing that street is precarious at best. I have a conflict and won't be able to attend the meeting, but I whole heartily support any traffic calming measures we can put in place...next, let's review the AWFUL and dangerous issue of how fast people drive down Edgemont Road on their way to the high school and as a general shortcut through the neighborhood.

[David DePietto]

Our family supports the crosswalk. I have witnessed an accident at this site; it is a dangerous place.

[Anne Price Gordon]

It is time to get this done! We attended a meeting at Town Hall about this nearly 2 years ago, and were told that the planning study had been done, funds had been allocated, and it was going to be completed.
Drivers zoom up and down the road, which is a primary route for kids walking to the high school, and a popular spot for parents and small children. It is nerve-wracking to even make a turn at this location.
There is no question that the crosswalk is needed, and it's time to get it done.

[Michael Cunningham]

My family and I fully support the creation of a raised crosswalk at Crane Pond. The fact that this area is frequented by students as they head to and from school as well as families who visit Crane Pond with their children provides a clear and compelling reason to take this step. The creation of a raised crosswalk in Hartsdale by the train station has made a real difference in allowing people to cross Hartsdale Avenue in safety. It is time to address this important safety issue.

[Janice Gates Kelly]

We are in full support of the crosswalk. My daughter was in kindergarten when the town paved the road around the pond and in doing so paved over the 2 existing crosswalks that were in place there. It was then that I made my first call to the town to see if the crosswalks were due to be re-painted. That child is now in 6th grade and the pond is still without crosswalks. I find that fact incredible, especially after all the work the Edgemont Association has done to get a crosswalk re-installed. I fear it is going to take some type of tragic accident before the town will stop dragging their feet, stalling us and put in the crosswalk. I hope these stalling tactics will finally come to an end and the town will move forward.

[Cadel]

Not only will it keep pedestrians safer, the raised crosswalk will also serve to slow down drivers. I've had more near-death experiences driving around there than I can count. You also have to factor in that with its proximity to the High School, there are a lot of younger, less experienced drivers as well. Let's not wait for a tragedy to do what should have been done years ago.

There shouldn't even be a question at this point. It's been approved. Get it done.

[Sharyn Lewis]

Seriously? The fate of the raised crosswalk depends on majority approval at a 10am Saturday meeting and not on the formal recommendations of the Greenburgh Police Department, an independent traffic safety consultant, the Town's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and the Town Planning Board?

Here's my vote: the intersection is dangerous. Please
put in the raised crosswalk.

[Shula]

Of course we support the cross walk! Why does the Supervisor need yet another meeting? The professionals, agencies, and the community have already, and repeatedly, voiced their request and recommendation. We don't need another meeting - we need the Town to make it happen!

[Andy Kantor]

This is a very dangerous intersection. The raised crosswalk makes sense as a safe solution, and the experts seem to agree. Certainly people have the right to oppose this, although I'm not sure what their objection could be. And like others who have posted, I'm baffled as to why the final decision is dependent upon the discussion that will occur at the Saturday morning gathering. In matters like this, the decision should be guided by a full examination of the facts, by informed, expert opinion, and by the preponderance of community opinion -- not by a show of hands from those who can attend on Saturday. So let's cut the nonsense, move forward and get this done.

[Nancy]

I support the raised crosswalk. It is a very dangerous intersection to cross, and you take your life in your hands whether you cross with young children in order to go to the duck pond or whether it is teenagers crossing in order to go to the junior/senior high school. Please implement this before someone's child gets hurt.

[Gerri Sommers]

Our family also supports the raised crosswalk. This is an incredibly dangerous intersection and we need safety measures in place.

[Steve Wolfert]

The vast majority of the community supports this crosswalk (not one of the above comments speaks against it). It has received approvals from all of the advisory/regulatory boards. So let's get it done!!!

[Isabel Kaplan]

I support the idea of a raised crosswalk. It's not only difficult to walk there safely, turning left or right in a car feels hazardous due to the speed of the oncoming cars. The raised crosswalk should slow people down.

Isabel Kaplan

[Lauren]

Although we most likely cannot attend the meeting on Saturday morning, our family fully supports the installation of the raised crosswalk at Crane's Pond per the safety recommendations of the police and independent experts. I have been involved with this issue for the last several years having attended countless meetings to let the town know that the Edgemont Association wants the crosswalk replaced. I spoke at a July 2010 Town Board work session and the board agreed that this is a matter of public safety. What is the holdup? The stalling and studying have to stop, we have been more than patient. Build the crosswalk before the winter - we've heard it will happen next spring for too many years!

[Peter Mellis]

I fully support the creation of a raised crosswalk. I also resent the fact that Feiner has to make something that should have been done a long time ago, into yet another photo op.

[Jon]

Please put the crosswalk in place already. This has taken way too long and the experts are all in favor. Our family fully supports this effort and remain baffled as to why a clear matter of public safety needs to be dragged out for this many years. Come on Paul, do the right thing by Edgemont already!

[Armorbear]

Our family supports the raised crosswalk.

[Peter]

Is there an update on the crosswalk. A few months have past with no updates. We support it. Now let's get it done.