HARLEM — The Department of Transportation took skeptical residents out for an evening stroll Monday night to woo them into accepting a new pedestrian safety plan.
About 30 people participated in a walking tour highlighting proposed improvements at 145th Street and Lenox Avenue that includes crosswalks, pedestrian islands, and curb cuts in front of the Esplanade Gardens.
In March, the Department of Transportation introduced a plan that included tree-lined islands in the middle of Lenox Avenue, similar to the ones they have near 125th Street. They were asked to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new proposal after local residents opposed to the islands.
“It was a terrible idea,” said Colette Jemmott, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years. “You can’t move around all the congestion if there’s an island there.”
Jemmott thought the new plan, which limits the islands to areas near the crosswalks, was better than the original. She was especially excited about the pedestrian curb ramps, she said.
During the tour, neighbors, many of them drivers, were concerned about any loss of parking spaces and driving lanes. Under the new plan they would not lose either.
Another major concern was enforcing a much-ignored stop sign on 148th Street. Many drivers blow through the sign without slowing down, said Carolyn Lewis, who has lived across the street from the sign for more than 30 years.
“Most of the drivers are from the area and if you’re from the area you know the sign is there,” she said. “We need something to let these people know that they are breaking the law.”
Lewis proposed installing a traffic light with a camera to snap photos of people who don’t stop.
Some people who attended the walkthrough were disappointed that the modified plan did not make the area more bike-friendly.
“I’m a cyclist and I would like them to include bike lanes in what they are planning,” said Rose Seabrook, 56, a member of Transportation Alternatives.
Seabrook said Harlem needs more bike lanes and described as biking in the area as “helter-skelter” and “chaotic” compared to neighborhoods with dedicated bike lanes.
“When I am in an area where there are bike lanes I have peace of mind,” she said. “Things are much more structured and organized.”
Representatives from the DOT said they would listen to the feedback of those who went on the walking tour and come up with another proposal for the community board.
