DOT Will Increase Pedestrian Walk Signal Timing At Deadly Ocean Pkwy/Church Ave Intersection

Following the death of Ditmas Park’s Ngozi Agbim as she crossed the Ocean Parkway/Prospect Expressway intersection at Church Avenue on June 24, Assemblymember Jim Brennan reports that the Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan has agreed to increase the pedestrian walk signal time from 8 seconds to 10 seconds at the dangerous crosswalk.

The DOT, responding to a letter from Brennan on June 25, wrote on July 5: “Addressing critical safety concerns such as this tragedy is of the utmost importance to the Department of Transportation. Our Traffic and Planning Division is studying this location in coordination with the New York State Department of Transportation to identify safety improvements that are feasible at this intersection. In the meantime, we will modify the signal timing by extending the existing leading pedestrian interval, which gives pedestrians time to begin crossing the street before the light turns green for motorists, by two seconds (from 8 to 10 seconds ) across Ocean Parkway.”

“We all know this is a dangerous intersection for pedestrians,” said Brennan in a statement today. “I have written the DOT back suggesting that the City consider closing the north (highway) side of the intersection while other options are being evaluated.”

The possible solution of closing the crosswalk was not endorsed by Council Member Brad Lander at the rally for improvements at the intersection following the tragic crash.

“Without the crosswalk, residents would have to walk a block out of their way and wait for three crossing signals instead of one,” Lander explained, adding, “and people might still try to cross the blocked intersection, anyway.”

So, can 2 seconds help? Is closing the crosswalk the answer? Or is there some other solution?