49th Ave/11st intersection
Dec. 16, 2013 By Christian Murray
Many pedestrians who cross the 49th Avenue/11th Street intersection are often at risk, since many drivers go speeding through the intersection as they exit the Pulaski Bridge.
The problem is most acute for the residents of the LHaus and Hunters View buildings, which are located adjacent to the Pulaski Bridge 49th Avenue exit. These residents frequently cross the 49th Avenue/11th Street intersection as they make their way to Jackson Avenue.
“Vehicles are allowed to speed, without stopping, coming off the Pulaski Bridge onto 49th Avenue,” said Greg Smith, president of LHaus Board of Managers. “This creates an extremely dangerous intersection due to the lack of clear crosswalk markings and stop signs or signals.”
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who held a press conference about the issue this morning at LHaus, is calling on the Department of Transportation to study the area and—at the very least– install cross walks and signage, which would warn drivers about pedestrians.
Van Bramer contacted the DOT in November 2012 and requested that the agency study the intersection for crosswalks and traffic control. The DOT got back to him earlier this year and said no changes were necessary.
“The residents…have been ignored by DOT for far too long,” Van Bramer said this morning. “There are a variety of solutions that can be implemented immediately to make this heavily trafficked intersection safer.”
“It is incumbent on us and them to act before a tragedy occurs,” Van Bramer said, adding that there are 40 children under the age of 5 who live in the 123-unit LHaus building.
Cars often exit the Pulaski Bridge and go down 49th Avenue as they make their way into Manhattan via the mid-town tunnel. This is a popular route for drivers, especially those from northern Brooklyn.
Linda Chow, a member of the board of LHaus, said that the residents want traffic-calming signage placed at the off ramp. “This building is about babies and puppies,” Chow said.
Meanwhile, Miguel Gonzalez, a LHaus resident, said he had once been stuck in the middle of 49th Avenue with a car right in front of him. He said the 49th Avenue intersection is particularly dangerous since there is a wall that prevents drivers from seeing the pedestrians from a distance.
The DOT said in statement that safety is its top priority and that it will take another look at the intersection. “The agency is taking a look at signage in the area,” said Nicholas Mosquera, a DOT spokesman.
Featured Events
13 Comments
DOUG- Whats your deal why are you so bitter? So the entire building must be filled with “spoiled yuppies” Really? Are you a grown up? Is that how you talk about people? Maybe those people have enough to buy there but not enough to buy somewhere else. Neighborhoods change, welcome to New York. The location there isn’t great, but how are you going to label an entire building?
Withdrawn! It didn’t occur to me that people go right onto 49th for the tunnel.
I stand corrected.
“Cars often exit the Pulaski Bridge and go down 49th Avenue as they make their way into Manhattan via the mid-town tunnel.”
I’m a little confused about this. To go to the tunnel when coming from BK on the bridge, you stay left and make the first immediate left – onto Jackson Avenue south. You then take Jackson straight to Vernon/Borden.
Nevertheless, as someone who’s walked that intersection from every angle with my baby daughter, I don’t think it’s that bad. The intersection is going to be tough no matter what, given that many roads are converging. I’m no fan of the DOT, but there are countdown clocks and there is plenty of time for people to cross Jackson Ave/11th Street. I don’t know how much more they can do.
I would be more concerned about breathing the fumes from the traffic and the Newtown creek If i were the people living in The Lhaus.
What an absurd place to put a fancy building…greedy developers…
You spoiled yuppies get what you deserve.
research next time before you buy!!
The quote was “This building is all about babies and dogs”
Linda, Apologies for the spelling error.
However, the quote was accurate.
The entire point of this is to get better traffic signals to make it safer for us all – why the divisive nature of the conversation?
The name is Linda CHOW not CHAU and I did not say the building is about babies and puppies. I made a statement about the safety for children for our building, as I would for any building regardless of economic or social class.
11th Street has been a dangerous speed zone for the last 13 years I have lived on it. I have personally witnessed countless accidents due to speeding drivers. I have notified DOT 5 times in writing about needing either speed bumps, more lights or traffic signs and each time I was told that no action was necessary. The corner of 47th Ave and 11th Street is bad enough that in the last year we had to carry a child out of a burning car and break in through the back windshield of a running car in order to turn off the motor because the driver was unconscious and the paramedics hadn’t arrived yet. The streetlight on that corner has been replaced at least 5 times since I’ve lived there after being knocked down by motorists. IT IS NOT SAFE! Hopefully now that the condo people have arrived maybe DOT will listen to complaints and do something.
This location isn’t near the waterfront eric.
that location is inherently bad, but buyers decided to buy there. yes, try to make it better, but don’t blame politicians.
* i always just walk underneath the pulaski overpass. it’s pretty safe.
“This building is about babies and puppies,” Chau said.
ugh
Jimmy only cares about the people on the waterfront that’s it the ones that can afford any rent in the new building’s he doesn’t care about the average person living in long island city.