Pedestrian Safety: MyRye.com Tweets from Joint BOE and Council Meeting

 

(PHOTO: Rye BOE Prez Nathan and Rye Mayor Doug French)

MyRye.com's tweets from Tuesday night's joint Board of Education and Rye City Council pedestrian safety meeting are listed below in reverse chronological order.

The meeting, scheduled for two hours, ran 3.5 hours with about 20 public officials and city staff and 40 residents in attendance. The meeting was taped for broadcasting on Rye TV (see the agenda, see broadcast times, see streaming video (video is not posted as of Wednesday evening)). View MyRye.com's photo album of the joint meeting.

 

It was clear out of the meeting there will be several follow-ups including an educational push through the PTOs and a separate meeting with the Rye PD on enforcement. BOE member Bob Zahm pressed officials on several issues (see Zahm's MyRye.com guest column on enforcement).

Several people including citizen Bertrand de Frondeville suggested the media have an important role to play in education including the listing of bad actors - those that drive and talk on their cell phone, drive and text message, violate traffic rules, etc.

Mr. de Frondeville, MyRye.com is ready to publish this information. If you, Mr. Zahm and others can encourage Rye City to record and make this information, MyRye.com will gladly publish it.

If you do not already, follow MyRye.com on Twitter.

BOE Nathan - enforcement and education next

BOE Nathan - enforcement and education next

meeting over 3.5 hours it is a wrap

a high risk of one texter hitting another texter - BOE Prez Nathan

work with POs/PTOs to get messages out

@13 people in audience left including most of Rye press corps

snow field as a possible parking spot - but there are issues - Pickup

Presbyterian Church is a good neighbor (to Rye High) - Pickup 200+ traffic movements each morning in church lot

we have maxed out with available parking (at high school) - Pickup (rising school population)

Nathan "I promised city council this would be a 2 hour meeting" (3 hours, 5 mins into meeting)

Rye Middle School and High School up next

citizen Ted Carroll - in 60s students were crossing guards at Milton and other schools "it was a positive"

March 16 AAA coming to Milton to educate students

crowd has thinned out, still on Milton, high school and middle school up next

crossing guard Martha gets a plug by resident

 

Zahm - questioning if sidewalk rules / maintenance are followed (in some cases property owners are responsible)

one way road on Fairway? more signage? 2 issues being looked at for Milton - Pickup

Milton a true neighborhood school - no issues of thru traffic - Asst City Manager Pickup

Milton up next, meeting is already 20 minutes over

drivers... it is time to remind them of their duty - citizen Bertrand de Frondeville

"SUVs w ladies at the wheel are particularly negligent about these things" - citizen Bertrand de Frondeville on cars not signaling

Nathan makes joke @ white rocks / laughter / things were getting amped up about enforcement issue

We need to have a public discussion on enforcement - Councilman Peter Jovanovich

Mayor French - we will speak with Rye PD Commissioner

I'm not sure I heard you right (are you saying) the city is waiting to enforce the law? Zahm to Mayor French

Rye Record, Rye Soundshore Review, LoHud (Journal News), AOL Patch, Rye TV all here - no lack of coverage on this one

resident - trucks come down Playland Parkway, left onto Midland, see light at Apawamis & try to jump light - recipe for disaster

citizen Charmian Neary teach cars to avoid children (vs just teaching children to avoid cars)

resident boulders on Forrest Ave creating hazard - white rocks are back as issue

Midland PTO co-presidents both speaking

Mayor French - we did not invite Rye PD Connors tonight, focused on 4 locations, will get to enforcement later

 

Amico - "the public needs to hear from him" (Rye PD Commish Connors) "he needs to be part of this"

Amico - Helen Gates "could not be more right" on need for education

Jim Amico talking - why not more flashing lights, disagrees with speed studies

I know we have used the unfortunate incidents as teachable moments in the schools - BOE Prez Nathan

talking @ access to Midland School from back of school (Ann Lane)

discussing other signals and lights in Midland area, Laura Slack asking about this

French on Midland Avenue - if we change specs for STOP sign we lose fed stim cash, so we wait. will revisit at future time.

Pickup on possible Midland cross walks

Pickup talking about how to connect various areas - for walking and biking. studies going on.

Now talking @ Midland corridor

Robin Jovanovich - any discussion of enforcement tonight? French - not really. No Rye PD here. Focused on 4 locations

 

citizen Bertrand de Frondeville - have media report on violations (MyRye.com is ready, let's go, give us a feed / info)

 

Maureen Gomez PTO co-prez at Osborn speaking

Rye City Schools Closed Wednesday (February 10, 2010) http://bit.ly/awyrfF

Pickup - staff reco not to put an officer at Sonn, Zahm pressing, how long would it take to put an officer there?

Zahm asking @ Sonn Drive (see Zahm's article on MyRye.com)

Keith - make sure public understands hard work of city - Scott, Brian. thanks to Gregg and Helen and YMCA

modified diet program to be presented on 24th, will require more $$ funding

recos at council meeting on Feb 24

oppty to have traffic light at Sonn Drive - consultant looking at this

BPR diet discussion

BPR and Sonn Drive

Osborn Road - water co needs to do work, may be able to work on road, sidewalk at that time. open schedule, depends on their capital sched

Pickup speaking @ Osborn School issues - Osborn Road jammed - veterans that park here turn their mirrors in

Pickup - Christian Miller (city planner) important

 

Pickup - Brian Dempsey - very important, his expertise "appreciate everything he brings to the table"

Pickup is an Osborn parent

Pickup - we meet with PTOs, others, we meet with parents, in the field

Pickup - hear from parents "nothing has ever been done" - these parents are new to the "cycle" there are constant improvements

Scott Pickup - Presentation by City of Rye Staff on School Pedestrian and Traffic Concerns

Nathan: get kids to educate parents. It worked for car idling

Pedestrian Safety Marathon, Tonight (February 9, 2010) 6:30pm - AGENDA http://bit.ly/b9KP0n

Feb 23rd library next safe routes to school meeting

media can play role in safety education - Helen Gates Rye record donating ad space

Engineering, Enforcement (PD also self enforcement), Evaluation (measuring impact), Education and Encouragement - Safe Routes

Safe Routes to School Presentation – Helen Gates / started in Denmark

"safe routes to school" requires community - Gregg Howells Rye YMCA

Estimating 40 citizens here, 20 officials (elected and city)

We welcome public comment but also require public commitment - Rye Mayor French on pedestrian safety

Rye Mayor French and BOE Prez Nathan doing intros

MyRye.com is at joint BOE - City Council meeting on pedestrian safety

Comments

[Jim Amico]

Bob,

No need, it falls in line with "the federal guide lines"!

It doesn't matter if making that right hand turn puts you over the double yellow and into a position to be injured in a car accident....the work is well within "the federal guide lines"!

The crosswalks that are temporarily taken out at the police booth (lesters) are okay because the work being done is well within the scope of "the federal guide lines"!

This is the new term for "process"!

[Robert Zahm]

Not sure - need to see what's what. But the current strange light system is clearly not working - along with the way people hold up traffic when waiting to pull into a "soon to be open" slot.

[Average Citizen]

Robert, what are your thoughts on the city eliminating the three traffic lights downtown?

[Robert Zahm]

Had a chance to drive ( a few times ) past the work at Palisades and Midland. Looks like the fundamental work is done, but the center line on Midland needs to be repainted to balance the driving space on both sides of the bump out. Additionally, no parking stripes should be painted on the side of the street opposite from the bump out.

[Jim Amico]

Larry,

LMAO! I think you get the point.
My calculations might be off a bit.

BUT.....
This is how it was handled and it is not acceptable for an intersection where a child was killed and another near killed!

Pedestrian (especially children) Safety is at the front of every conversation in Rye yet we allow these Cowboys (Bilotta Const.) to create further danger as they perform their work.

Larry, do you have children?
Take a look at the crosswalks where the Police Booth is across from Lesters, would you be comfortable letting your child cross there???

Now, I'm being told Bilotta is meeting Federal Guidelines and they are not responsible for how people get across the street.
With that being said, it is our responsibility and still yet we do nothing!!! Oh Ya, don't forget this is also an intersection where a child was struck by a car...
A POLICE CAR!!!

Tell me how any of this makes sense?

[Larry]

Jim,
I know this is a very personal cause for you but if they came in may and have delayed for 13 weeks as your post says, wouldn't we be in August?

[Charmian Neary]

Several observations:

1) There's only one man working at a time at Palisade Road - I think it's in their contract.

2) An important part of the road safety project on Midland Avenue from what I've seen is the new road paving, which is being facilitated by Con Edison routinely ripping it up for some unknown reason.

3) The Con Ed guys abide by the rules too - only one man works at a time.
The rest stay in the truck they leave idling to run the AC. It's in the contract.

[Jim Amico]

Bob,

As you can I see I am very disappointed in the approach at Midland/Palisade.

I'm baffled at how an intersection which 1 child was killed and another could have been gets the least respect!

How was this intersection not made a priority???

The sequence which I described to you is ridiculous and UNACCEPTABLE!

You'll have to excuse me for taking your question as sarcasm, unfortunately that is how it landed!

[Robert Zahm]

Jimmy - my query was not meant to elicit the response you provided. I've not read the message to which you refer. While I am honestly pleased (and think we all should be) that some progress has been made, I am sincerely disappointed with
> cross walks at Old Post Road over Playland Parkway remaining unpainted throughout the Winter and Spring despite Westchester County saying, “Do what you think is right, Rye”.
> the sequence of the sidewalk replacement work
> lack of completion of many identified sidewalk issues documented in photos sent to the City last Fall
> lack of publication of enforcement statistics AT ALL despite public discussion and commitment to do just that on a regular basis.

So, while I am pleased that some action has been taken, there is a lot of “low hanging fruit” that seems to be rotting on the vine. Not sure why - I am hopeful that it’s not because the police are being asked to hunt coyotes.

[Jim Amico]

Bob,
Let me bring you up to speed!!!

1st let me just say I will hold my entire opinion until the job is "COMPLETE"!!!

Let's see....hmmmmm? Oh Ya..."the job will be done early spring and be complete by the end of April" "and once it begins it will be finished rather quickly"

This is what we were all told by City Council and liasions!

So by all means lets take care of Oakland Beach and BPR sidewalks/curbings first!

These COWBOYS (Bilotta Const.) came to Midland Palisade in MAY, made some markings left for 2 weeks, came back made some cuts left for 2 weeks, concrete forms are dumped on the sidewalk taking out the ability to use the sidewalk, 2 weeks later they come and open up the road and leave again for another 2 weeks, then they return and install one of the forms, then they leave for "5 WEEKS" and did not return until I "SNAPPED"!!!

So Bob, knowing me "WHAT DO YOU THINK I THINK"?????????

Would you like to read the NASTY email they got from me or have you already read it and know all this which prompted you to address me at the bottom of your post???