CIA Traffic Update & What It’s Like to Cross It

Despite reports from the 66th Precinct that they’ve been working with the 70th on tackling the traffic and sidewalk blockage by businesses along Coney Island Avenue, those businesses don’t seem to have gotten the message that the police are “not going away,” as KARMA reported the 66th’s Commanding Officer said in June.

Here are some photos from the past couple of days.

If you’ve walked on that side of the block, you know it can be tricky–with cars and trucks parked on the sidewalk, and vehicles dashing in and out of garages, it’s unpleasant and fairly dangerous. But how about crossing the intersection of CIA and Cortelyou?

With traffic lights that have different timing than typical intersections, plus cars trying to navigate the double parking and other obstacles, it’s a dicey crossing for pedestrians. And you better walk quickly, because you have just 7 seconds from the time you get the crosswalk signal to the time it starts flashing the “don’t walk” sign (which gave this healthy adult just enough time to make it less than halfway), and about 18 seconds from the time you get the signal to the time it ends.

As you can see from this video we shot yesterday, some pedestrians take their chances before they get the signal, some cars anticipate a green well before they get it, and some trucks aren’t willing to give pedestrians much time before they turn.

Going the other direction isn’t any picnic either. If you haven’t seen this video shot by Bike Snob NYC last year, it’s a good indication of how regularly dangerous it is–how cars often run the red light, and how crazy pedestrians often try to cross while traffic is moving.

Concerned for your safety? Contact Community Board 12 at kcb12@gmail.com, the 66th Precinct at 718-851-5601, and Councilmember Mathieu Eugene at MEugene@council.nyc.gov. And we’ll keep you posted about that public meeting with the DOT that the Councilmember promised a couple weeks ago.