| Author | Message | ||
     tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1723 Registered: 5-2001 |
Besides the noise, which is transient, there are other quality-of-life issues that the buses bring, such as litter and the tremendous amount of diesel engine grit that gets all over everything. | ||
| lseltzer Citizen Username: Lseltzer Post Number: 2030 Registered: 5-2001 |
Litter? From an out of service bus? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2276 Registered: 9-2001 |
Larry, the litter is from the thousands of out of town drivers using the street who don't care about our town. Check it out, Boyden Avenue is listed as a residential neighborhood street. Putting up these two little “NO RIGHT TURN” signs will for the first time in many years make it look and sound like the street it was always meant to be. Blocking local people from making those two turns means they'll just use other local streets that they need to get to their homes. Elmwood Avenue coming west from Irvington would be used mostly by local residents, whereas, out of town traffic will most likely go to a direct flow main street rather than to zig zag through small residential local streets. Please keep in mind how the TC passed an ordinance last year to affect the Apter site on SA by eliminating public assembly for the whole town. The idea was not to appear as it was just to stop the church from moving to the Apter’s site. This same reasoning can be applied to the bus issue by eliminating these two right hand turns. By doing away with all traffic making right hand turns, NJ Transit can’t say we are doing it just to stop them from using Boyden Avenue. This ordinance is simple and easy to do, and will make a huge difference to all our residents who live and/or travels through the eastern part of our town. | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4201 Registered: 5-2001 |
Traffic, like water, finds the easiest route. As Greentree points out the changes in the traffic patterns on SA caused traffic to use alternative routes. Changing the pattern will cause similar changes. Drivers will find the quickest way to get to where they want to go. My guess is that Ward Place to Burr (I may have the name wrong, the street by the football stadium) to Parker will probably become much more traveled. | ||
| lseltzer Citizen Username: Lseltzer Post Number: 2032 Registered: 5-2001 |
Creative answer Art, but Tom said it was from the buses. I guess you know what he really meant. | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1724 Registered: 5-2001 |
Believe it or not, I've found long rolls of unused bus transfers on my lawn. More buses = more cars waiting for the lights at Parker & Elmwood = more time to dump stuff out of their windows. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 1940 Registered: 5-2001 |
Art- Where do you get your info that mostly local residents use Essex? It has become a HUGE cut-through. Up Springfield, across the parking lost, around Oakland to Essex & up Elmwood: no SA!! I sit here and watch the cars go by. And the traffic on Elmwood has indeed increased, not just on Prospect. There are, many mornings, 7-8 cars waiting to turn onto Prospect from Elmwood at a time. It is possible that you haven't noticed it as much for two reasons: 1) your house sits further back from the street than the rest of ours and 2) you are well enough east of Essex to not see the cars come racing down from the park & turn west onto Elmwood. I disagree that making Forest one-way would be a huge inconvenience. I don't know if the rest of the neighbors would agree, but, as my driveway sits on Essex, I would be affected. The neighbors on Forest might even be amenable to the idea as a trade-off for reduced traffic. Who knows? You had posted earlier, in response to someone else's question, that the traffic diverted from not turning on Boyden would use Elmwood. As for NJT, I think someone mentioned before, that a surcharge per bus that comes out to higher than the $30k cost of the additional 5 minutes/half mile would probably greatly reduce the traffic on Boyden. All in all, this whole neighborhood is suffering from the changes on SA and NJT. I think there are simple changes that, if enforced, would make a huge difference. | ||
| DrFalomar Citizen Username: Drfalomar Post Number: 124 Registered: 7-2003 |
There is a series of county roads in Bergen County that you can take to the malls in Paramus. You can shaveoff one corner of this route but using a residential street as a shortcut. To prevent this, signs note that only residents and those having business with them may use the street during certain periods of the day. I don't know how effective the signs are at dissuading people, but maybe this is a more effective way to curb traffic. | ||
| Earlster Citizen Username: Earlster Post Number: 97 Registered: 8-2003 |
What about a very slow speed limit, say 10mph. That is not to much of an inconvenience for the 2-3 times that residents would probably use their street a day, but adds a lot of time to the buses. Of course it would have to be enforced. Many european cities do that. Another option could be a weight limit. | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1728 Registered: 5-2001 |
A weight limit makes sense, that road takes a serious beating. I'm no engineer, but I wonder if it was built with that kind of weight in mind. | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4206 Registered: 5-2001 |
Weight limits were discussed at the TC meeting last week. That august body instructed the Town Attorney to look into it. There may, however, be some issues since NJT is a higher level government than Maplewood Township and may be able to ignore the limits for that reason. Again, your best bet is to try to get publicity in the Star Ledger and local TV. The amount it would cost NJT to reroute the busses is trivial in the big picture. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2277 Registered: 9-2001 |
"I think there are simple changes that, if enforced, would make a huge difference." IMHO, the information regarding local residents using Essex is part common sense, and part my own observations. If you look at a map, you'll see that coming up Springfield, across the parking lot on Tuscan, around Oakland, and over to Essex to go up Elmwood to Prospect doesn't make sense. It would be easier to use Tuscan or just stay on Oakland to Prospect. I also watch the cars and traffic on Elmwood and Essex, (over the past 60 years). Yes, there has been a slight increase, except the cars waiting to turn into Prospect from Elmwood is all about the heavy traffic on Prospect, not Elmwood. BTW, I believe any SA traffic diverted from turning right on Boyden would than most likely come up Elmwood from Irvington. Therefore, this new pattern change would not increase the number of cars continuing further up Elmwood above Boyden. As for NJT and a surcharge per bus, unfortunately this would not eliminate the bus traffic on Boyden, and that's the issue. Well, I gave you my simple "Two Sign" change. So now what are "your" simple changes that, if enforced, would make a huge difference? Drfalomar, signs that only residents may use the street during certain periods of the day will not stop the buses. This is all about the buses... Earlster, we want to remove the buses, not slow them down. The weight limit option would not affect the buses either... Bob, you’re right about the weight limits, but wrong about the publicity. The cost to re-route is trivial, however, the NJ Transit hasn’t done anything for twenty years. It’s time for us to take the bull by the horns. Stop all the traffic where I suggested, and we’ll stop the buses as well... | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2279 Registered: 9-2001 |
“Traffic, like water, finds the easiest route.” This may be true… However, the idea here is to protect our residential communities from commercial traffic as well as commuters who just use our local streets as a means to avoid traveling on roads designated for this category of traffic. We all understand that changes in traffic patterns cause traffic to use alternative routes. This is the whole point. Over twenty years ago the Master plan recommended changes in the traffic flow on Boyden Avenue. The steady increase in traffic over the years has now become intolerable. The two minor changes I recommend for the township committee to consider could finally accomplish in 30 days, what the town hasn’t been able to correct in the past thirty years. Bob, most streets like Ward, Burroughs, Union, Hudson, Coolidge, Warren, Essex, and Burr are all 50’ wide as is Boyden Avenue. All are in fact local residential streets, therefore, why should it matter more where the traffic goes? Are there any homes in Maplewood on 50’ wide residential streets any more important than the homes all along Boyden Avenue? IMHO, there isn’t, well at least in principle there isn’t...  The bottom line here is this. There are hundreds of families along Boyden that need a brake from the 1,000 buses a week blasting by their homes at all hours of the day and night. The buses need to travel on their designated routes, on roads where they are wanted and needed. Boyden Avenue is NOT a designated route, the buses are not needed, and they are not wanted. Please help out if you can... | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2289 Registered: 9-2001 |
What’s happened? Where is everyone? Do you need more information? Try this… This is all about "local roads." The fact is Boyden Avenue is a Secondary "local road." The general function of Secondary "local roads" is to provide access for “local traffic” to get to the Major road network. Secondary "local roads" are the key links in the "local road network," providing a benefit, which accrues mostly to “local residents.” Boyden Avenue is also a narrow and dangerous "local road." Removing 1,000 buses a week would go along way in improving the flow of "local traffic." Last year Boyden Avenue experienced a number of accidents, including at least one fatal accident. At the time of the last Master Plan, 26% of all accidents in Maplewood happened on Springfield Avenue, with the highest accident area in the township at Springfield Avenue and Boyden Avenue. Although I don’t have the most recent accident reports, I doubt that the statistics have improved that much over the years. The last Master Plan when referring to Boyden Avenue states, “While additional traffic should not be encouraged on this road because of serious design limitations at the intersections of Springfield Avenue, and also at Elmwood Avenue, it nevertheless should be viewed as an important "local road" for planning purposes.” FWIW, the planning purposes we’re working on now is to try to return Boyden Avenue back to the "local road" it was originally designed to be... | ||
| romatc Citizen Username: Romatc Post Number: 12 Registered: 6-2002 |
Boyden Avenue is NOT a designated route, the buses are not needed, and they are not wanted. Please help out if you can... Amen to that Art! Since I live on the corner of Boyden & Parker as far as the value of home prices goes I did an online appraisal of my home. I found that if I use the Parker Ave. address which is the side of my house (I have two addresses go figure) the value is 20K higher then the Boyden Ave. address. Tom is right about the stinkin' bus drivers. Lots of litter of NJT bus transfers thrown out the windows of there buses. } | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1737 Registered: 5-2001 |
Art, everything you're saying is fabulous. So what's next? Sorry I was out of town for the last set of get-togethers. Another idea: what would a stop sign at the intersection with Garfield do? | ||
| shaun Citizen Username: Shaun Post Number: 22 Registered: 6-2001 |
Art, romatc, tom - great ideas all around. How about also removing the double-yellow lines that currently make the street look like a major road? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2291 Registered: 9-2001 |
Tom, This morning I spoke with the town engineer, Doug Ball, regarding my suggestions for no right turns off SA and Irvington Avenue. As always he was interested in helping, and cooperative in every way. It appears in both cases, state and/or county approval will be necessary. Both ends of Boyden Avenue are located in other towns and intersect with other Major roads. The good news is that the town is already looking at other turning issues at these intersections, along both of these streets. I agreed to put my suggestions in writing and submit them to the town for their consideration along with their present study of both of these locations. I will update this thread as more information becomes available. I suggest that everyone interested in this initiative, please comment further on line, or e-mail us letters of support. Thank you. Art BTW, to get the town to place a stop sign on Boyden at the intersection with Garfield, someone would have to show a heavy traffic and pedestrian crossing load at that intersection. However, I don’t believe that would help our case for removing the buses. On the other hand, if calming traffic is your concern, that can be arranged more effectively through the existing traffic lights along the Avenue. Shawn, thank you. I see your point, however, the double-yellow lines indicate no passing areas, and for the most part have been proven to add additional safety for everyone using the street. | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1740 Registered: 5-2001 |
I was thinking in terms of just making it more inconvenient to use. As for traffic calming, I live right on the intersection across from Roma, and having the buses idling at the light there is no improvement in terms of congestion, noise, dirt. I think we all want them gone, not just slower! | ||
| jfburch Citizen Username: Jfburch Post Number: 1206 Registered: 6-2001 |
Garfield Place has other issues: the non-local traffic trying to avoid the stop light at Irvington and zooming left up Garfield at high speed (and then over to Irvington on Coolidge). Given the number of kids who play in that street, it's an accident waiting to happen. There was some discussion of making Garfield one-way or prohibiting left turns there but I don't know what happened to those discussions. It's worth reviving them in the context of the Boyden Ave traffic issues. There's a block association that may serve as a contact. |
