Turn Signal Comes To Accident-Prone Intersection At Bedford And Emmons


by on May 8th, 2014

bedford

As our tipster Andrey G. wrote to us with the photo above, “Finally, a left turn signal on Bedford & Emmons – It’s finally here!”

A new left turn signal is the first of a few traffic safety improvements coming to Emmons Avenue and Bedford Avenue after years of complaints from residents that low visibility at the intersection frequently causes accidents.

The signal was installed some time in the last week. It was approved months ago, according to Community Board 15 Chairperson Theresa Scavo.

The agency agreed to a traffic study at the intersection in 2012. Previous requests to get additional safety measures had been denied by the agency, but they finally reversed course after a spate of accidents that year – including one that left several people injured just a week after receiving the request from the Community Board.

Now that the signal is installed, the Department of Transportation will implement daylighting at the median. Daylighting involves eliminating one or two parking spaces from the edge of the intersection so that turning cars can better see oncoming traffic.

Scavo said the agency is likely just waiting for the weather to improve a bit before laying down the stripes and “no parking” signs.

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  • Nursie

    Emmons is like a speed zone..

    • MyBrooklyn

      Do you cross against the light is that reason you think its a speed zone….I cross when its my light and no issues

      • Nursie

        See the Brown condo I live there-ALL of Emmons & Shore is like a speed zone!! Driving, they cut you off-walking oh wait I mean running to cross even with the light is DANGEROUS!!!!

        • Sportzfan

          I cross when the light is green and the crosswalk sign permits crossing. Even so, I am always on the lookout for drivers that speed through their red light.

          That’s why I agree with Nursie. I live on Coyle St., between Shore Parkway and Emmons Ave. down by Knapp Street. The long stretch of eastbound Shore Parkway from Nostrand Ave. to Knapp Street is like a drag strip. Making this stretch even more dangerous is the fact that cars are exiting the eastbound Belt Parkway at Knapp Street and coming onto Shore Parkway well over the 30 MPH speed limit.

          I walk my dog down Emmons Ave. toward the bay. Drivers don’t seem to understand that the speed limit is 30MPH. They drive much faster than that between the traffic lights at Coyle and Nostrand and Nostrand and Bedford. The only thing that slows the drivers down is that Emmons gets more congested when you approach the area starting where Loehman’s was located.

          • Nursie

            Thank you, like I said I see it every day..

  • Gold

    Knapp Street and Emmons Avenue needs a left turn signal as well.

    • Sportzfan

      I agree. I live on Coyle Street. While making a left from onto Knapp from Emmons you can’t see the cars coming toward you down Emmons. These are cars coming off the eastbound Belt Parkway from the second Knapp Street exit ramp.

  • BrooklynBus

    They should have done the daylighting years ago. Now with the left turn signal, there is less of a need for it. They may not have needed to do both. Anyway, it never should have taken this long. When will they add a left turn signal to Guider Avenue from CI Av.

    • Malishhka

      There is a “no turns and no U-turns” sign on the intersection. Nobody follows it. Very frustrating.

      • BrooklynBus

        But there should be a left turn because otherwise its a long trip to get to the Belt Parkway. The CB has also been asking for it for awhile.

    • guest

      In this day and age we need to inconvenience people as much as possible. Get them out of their cars and into fistfights because of the limited parking spaces as it is. Agree with the signal and that it shouldn’t have taken this long. If this were Park Slope it would have been done 2 minutes after being brought up. But the daylighting initiative is an invitation to violence.

      • BrooklynBus

        The problem I have with daylighting is instead of only eliminating the parking space right near the stop sign or traffic signal that prevents visibility, DOT is too lazy to erect an additional post. So what they do is tack on a No Standing on the closest post which unnecessarily eliminates three or four extra parking spaces. They do that all the time.

        They need to periodically check where parking can be restored but they are only interested in reducing parking spaces. A few years ago it was revealed upon investigation that some No Parking signs on Ocean Parkway were the result of a sewer project installed in 1975, that had never been returned when the project was completed. I’m sure there are similar cases elsewhere.

        • Subway Stinker

          If true, this is a good explanation of DOT laziness. I will take a look myself to confirm the BrooklynBus analysis of how DOT posts the no parking daylight signs. Like the guy says, “Keep asking Questions”. Thanks.

          • BrooklynBus

            Where I used to work in Woodside, there were six spaces near the corner where no parking was allowed for no apparent reason. It took me five years to figure out that they wanted to ban the couple of spaces near the corner to facilitate turns, but they woud have needed a new post. It was just easier or them to se the existing one 100 feet down the block.

            I see what they did in Manhattan Beach. Some of the daylighting is only one space and some are three spaces? All the intersections are identical. There is no other reason for the discrepancy. Also sometimes a space is daylighted because of a Stop sign. Years later, a signal is installed making te daylighting no longer necessary, but the No Parking regulation is never removed. There are tons of places where parking could be added. But there at those who believe for every added parking space, someone buys a car to fill that space. These are the same people who don’t own cars and want a 20 mph speed limit everywhere.

    • you-know-nothing-Allen-Rosen

      The day-lighting is still necessarily for left turns being made when eastbound traffic has a green signal and the turning signal isn’t on.

      • BrooklynBus

        That may be true if traffic is light enough so you can make to left turn before the arrow comes on unless you are only permitted to make the left on the arrow which is what they do at some intersections. Since we don’t know yet how this one will operate it is premature to come to a conclusion which is why I said, daylighting may not be necessary, not daylighting won’t be necessary.

        Also, since they never tried daylighting by itself, it is possible that that alone coud have eliminated accidents without the need for a left turn signal.

        Like your handle. Wonder how often you intend on using it.

  • Sportzfan

    It’s about time. I don’t travel down Emmons through that intersection because cars making a left onto Bedford from the eastbond side of Emmons have a hard time seeing cars travelling westbound on Emmons. I believe one of the last accidents at this intersection knocked down the pole which had the green traffic signal box on it. That fact tells the whole story of that intersection.

  • May

    This left turn signal doesn’t help at Emmons ave and Sheepshead bay rd . I turn at green signal and some smart ass hit me because he was in a rush .Offcourse he said to police man that he drove on a green signal.