Nov 1, 2018 2 min read bergen beach

Ralph Avenue Improvements Underway

Ralph Avenue Median replacement has started.

FlATLANDS/BERGEN BEACH – Back in the Spring, NYC Department of Transportation presented their plan for how to make crossing Ralph Avenue safer, and now they are working on implementing the traffic calming measures.

The stretch between Avenue J and Avenue T has seen a large number of crashes – 213 with injuries, 10 where a person was killed or severely injured in just five years between 2012 and 2016. Just over a month ago, Nissen Krakinowski, a 90-year-old neighbor from Canarsie was killed at Avenue L as he was crossing Ralph Avenue by the shopping center.

According to the City’s analysis, 46% of the pedestrian crashes were because drivers failed to yield, and left turns are also more than twice as dangerous as the city average. Oh – and 71% of drivers were recorded going above the speed limit.

Supposed to start in August, work is finally underway, and this is what the city is installing:

The plan also eliminates left turn at Avenue K:

This left turn at Ralph Ave. and Ave. K will become a pedestrian island. Liena Zagare/Bklyner

The city will improve access to Georgetown Shopping center by adding two traffic signals that lead into the parking lot midblock, making these left turns easier:

Left turns from Ralph Ave into Georgetown Shopping Center. Liena Zagare/Bklyner

DOT also plans to expand the pedestrian island at Mill Avenue:

Triangle at Mill Avenue. Liena Zagare/Bklyner

And lastly, pedestrian ramps at the intersections will be upgraded, and crosswalks repainted wider crosswalks. All this, the city hopes, will help slow down the 71% of drivers that were recorded speeding and make the avenue safer for pedestrians and drivers alike.