Plans May Be in the Works for Coney Island Avenue Traffic Issues
There have been talks regarding the traffic situation on Coney Island Avenue between Cortelyou and Beverley Roads, where double parked cars can sometimes create hazardous situations.
A source close to the Department of Transportation told us that part of a possible traffic calming plan for Coney Island Avenue would include parking regulations to deter motorists from double parking their vehicles near the automobile-related businesses on the stretch. According to the source, studies have been completed that show a need for improvement in traffic regulations in the area, particularly at the intersection of Cortelyou Road and Coney Island Avenue (we know – shocking revelation, right?).
Since Cortelyou Road does not continue in a straight line across Coney Island Avenue, the intersection maintains a certain notoriety for being difficult to maneuver. The flow of traffic can be unpredictable at times, and pedestrian crossings are confusing at best.
As has been well documented here, the intersection becomes downright dangerous due to the frequency of double-parked vehicles, as well as vehicles parked on sidewalks. Some cars can even be seen parked perpendicular to the sidewalk in places. The congestion that results from double-parked cars can sometime force passing traffic to merge into one lane, creating backups as far as Beverley.
On top of that, the B68 stops along the avenue, with a stop both at Beverly and Cortelyou. Motorists who attempt to pass buses that are slowing down to make stops face the potential danger of being blind to traffic obstacles up ahead. And for the bus lines that make a left turn onto Cortelyou from CIA, they’re often doing so after the light has turned red.
What little we know about the traffic calming initiatives for CIA is that the Department of Transportation is somehow involved in talks regarding the issues of automobile safety, and that we should be seeing some updates on those plans sometime in the near future.
A meeting regarding the issue of traffic calming in the neighborhood originally scheduled by Councilmember Mathieu Eugene for January 31 has been postponed, but it should occur at some point soon. The meeting will be open to the public, and we will update this information once we know more.