Greenfield Proposes Flashing Yellow Lights At Train Overpasses To Prevent Truck Collisions

Neighborhoods along the elevated portion of the B/Q Brighton Line are no strangers to the thunderous crash of a truck whacking into the train line’s overpasses. South of Avenue J or so, the elevated line is relatively low to the ground, unlike the towering els of Brighton Beach Avenue or 86th Street, and many a trucker makes the misguided attempt to get by despite standard signs indicating clearance.

We’ve covered quite a number of such collisions here on Sheepshead Bites.

Now Councilman David Greenfield is requesting that the MTA install flashing yellow warning signals at all railroad underpasses in Midwood, Homecrest and Sheepshead Bay. The hope is to prevent the collisions, which cause traffic accidents and backups. In a letter to MTA Acting President Carmen Bianco and Brooklyn Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Palmieri, Councilman Greenfield asks that these signals be installed along avenues that cross beneath the railroad tracks, which run between East 15th Street and East 16th Street and serve the B and Q trains. Greenfield is calling for the lights at all underpasses from Avenue J south.

“This is a simple and inexpensive step that the MTA can take to improve safety and help prevent traffic jams throughout our community. Aside from causing headaches for other drivers, these incidents of drivers ignoring the existing signs and becoming stuck beneath the bridge can cause serious accidents or significant damage to the overpass. With that in mind, I hope the MTA will agree that it makes sense to install clearer, more visible flashing signals at those locations,” Greenfield said in a press release.