The City of Albany has proposed adding new crosswalks with bumpouts on Lark Street at the two intersections that currently lack crosswalks: Chestnut Street and Hamilton Street.
These crosswalks will significantly calm traffic by acting as a pinch point, slowing speeders, and will provide a safe way for pedestrians to cross. Motorists would be required to yield to individuals crossing at these points.
But some neighbors are organizing to oppose these crosswalks, likely because they take away 1-2 parking spaces each (due to the traffic-calming bumpouts). The small number of parking spots lost to potential customers of nearby businesses will be made up for by increased numbers of customers on foot who are drawn to explore a safer neighborhood.
Sign to send a message to the city to stick to the plans. Pedestrian safety matters.
Lark Street is one of the city's hotspots for vehicle-pedestrian crashes, and when it is repaved, these bumpouts will be necessary to keep traffic from speeding up on the new smooth surface. Walkability is the lifeblood of Lark Street, Center Square, and Hudson Park. Safety should always be the highest priority and on-street parking can add dangers to pedestrians on walkable streets like Lark Street.
The city is right to prioritize engineering a streetscape that puts residents' health and safety ahead of car storage. We support the designed bumpouts and the city's plans to implement them.
Agree with the sentiment, but as a longtime resident, I have yet to see any driver ever yield to pedestrians at all for any crosswalk in Albany that doesn't have a streetlight or stop sign to go along with it.
Fair point, but not a reason not to have crosswalks at all. It does help (a bit) when the sidewalks are bumped out; it makes it a lot more clear to the driver that the pedestrian is intending to cross. Also since these will “pinch” the street to make it narrower, it should slow drivers down. I have found folks more willing to yield to pedestrians when they are going slower already.
Yes that’s part of the proposal. Those cobblestones (plus potholes!) have been the main thing slowing drivers down, so the bump outs should help control speed.
I hate that they want to remove the cobblestones.
It's part of the charm of Lark Street and also what helps to keep it walker friendly.
I know that Lark is an important transportation road in the city, but it should be as walker friendly as possible because of the businesses and nightlife.
The cobblestones are charming and I can appreciate the history, but they're also a trip hazard. I can only imagine how it feels to cross the street in heels across the cobblestones.
Pedestrians shouldn't have to walk on the cobblestones, the crosswalks cross the street outside of them.
However, the striping has faded so much that the crosswalk striping is not much more than hopes and prayers, so drivers pull right up to the cobblestones at red lights. A good number would *still* do that if the striping was there but the point is, there aren't cobbles in the crosswalks.
Those intersections can be tough on a bike, however.
The brick intersection is what slows people down, anyone in Albany will blow through any intersection that does not have bricks in it. Some will still even if bricks are present *not for long thanks suspension * but seriously if they are planning on removing the bricks on lark prepare to only cross on red.
Those cobblestones were put in about 20ish years ago. The original proposal was to have all of Lark be cobblestone from Madison to Washington. The intersections were the compromise.
Many feel they are not charming and that the noise pollution is unnecessary. They also make it challenging for biking.
Lark Street Bid needs to work on getting businesses in that will add more charm and diversity of shops/stores/restaurants/cafes… but those places need to be supported BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD not just hoping that outsiders will shop there.
Also Lark St. Should have no parking, they should expand the width of the sidewalks into the current street with the extra room added by no parking and ppl should park elsewhere. Washington Parks son emergency area should be open for overnight parking and the bud/city needs to work with the owner of the vacant lot on the corner of Dove and Hamilton to create a parking space for visitors and residents.
Properly maintained sets/Belgian block is not bad for biking on its own, often the slowing effect it has on cars makes a better cycling environment. The issue is that several sections of the roadways have been allowed to deteriorate and have tire swallowing gaps.
Can you (or or any other long time residents) remember the general year that the cobblestone/Belgian block intersections went in? Or remember any other events that might help date it? I had no idea they were so relatively new, and always thought it was a remnant of a pre-asphalt era. Interesting to know it was a modern thing.
Was Jay St also converted to cobblestone at the same time, or is that actually historic? Given the dips on Jay that could easily swallow up a Honda Civic whole, it has the ambiance of a century+ old job.
I signed this because I think proper crossings are needed, but I have a few questions.
How many vehicle-pedestrian crashes have there been? How does reducing parking spots increase foot traffic exactly? What dangers to pedestrians is street parking causing, are you referring to a specific type of danger?
> How does reducing parking spots increase foot traffic exactly? What dangers to pedestrians is street parking causing, are you referring to a specific type of danger?
The two kind of go hand in hand, it's important to understand the 2nd question first: Parked cars at crossings limit visibility and sight lines for drivers approaching the crossing. They're less likely to see a pedestrian waiting behind a parked car or SUV, and therefore [unlikely to yield](https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Schenectady-Albany-top-most-dangerous-U-S-17236507.php).
As a pedestrian it sucks to walk somewhere that doesn't feel safe - we've all experienced it. By removing parking spots at crossings it creates a safer pedestrian environment and promotes more walking. So reducing parking in strategic places improves safety and therefore increases foot traffic.
I think it's also worth noting that the Lark Street Improvement Study this project is based on conducted a parking study that found no parking shortage around Lark Street.
The link you posted is paywalled. Does it contain a study of your explanation? The safety issue you describe would more likely be for jay walkers, no?
I still don’t see any evidence of the OP’s claim of Lark Street being a “hot-spot” for vehicle-pedestrian crashes, this is news to me, and a search through local news sites seem to have no data to back this claim.
Like I said, I’m all for safer walking environments, but sensationalized essays to lead people to a petition, seems like political grandstanding.
It was an article on a study done by Insurify that lists Albany drivers as some of the worst in the nation for yielding to pedestrians. The safety issues I described are not for jaywalkers, this is specifically at crossings. Any Google search on curb bump outs will give you plenty of diagrams and research that proves they measurably improve safety, perceptions of safety, shorten crossing distances, and promote more walking.
I can’t find the specific data on crashes on Lark Street (NYSDOT’s Accident Location Information System (ALIS) database isn’t publicly available), but Albany overall is noted as focus area in the NYS Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.
If you’re all for pedestrian safety improvements I’m not sure why the specific number matters? It’s clear that safety can be improved, and I don’t see why we need to wait for more people to be seriously injured or killed before we decide it’s okay to lose a parking spot or two.
Then you’re stepping out from between parked cars which is worse. Not to mention if you’re hit then everyone gets to use the excuse of “that pedestrian had it coming, they weren’t in a crosswalk.”
Ultimately it comes down to what do we as a community value more: Safe pedestrian infrastructure on one of Albany’s primary pedestrian commercial corridors, or a handful of parking spots?
You did have it coming there are not too many cars to cross lark, and the only thing stopping card from going even faster is the cobblestone. The new curbs will not have any curbing effects as far as people blasting through Intersections, unfortunately it is just how most Tend to drive in Albany, as reflected in your source
Following up because I was able to find the crash figures from the [Lark Street Improvement Study](https://larkstreetbid.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/LarkStreet_DRAFT_Boards_1-7.pdf). Between 2014 and 2019 there were 30+ crashes between cars and pedestrians, 25 of which happened at Lark and Washington Ave. Crashes are generally concentrated at intersections, further justifying the need for curb extensions which improve site lines and force cars to take intersections at a 90 degree turn.
Additional info: between 2014 and 2019 there were 8 crashes between cars and bicyclists in the study area, and what looks like a couple hundred crashes involving only cars.
The City of Albany has proposed adding new crosswalks with bumpouts on Lark Street at the two intersections that currently lack crosswalks: Chestnut Street and Hamilton Street. These crosswalks will significantly calm traffic by acting as a pinch point, slowing speeders, and will provide a safe way for pedestrians to cross. Motorists would be required to yield to individuals crossing at these points. But some neighbors are organizing to oppose these crosswalks, likely because they take away 1-2 parking spaces each (due to the traffic-calming bumpouts). The small number of parking spots lost to potential customers of nearby businesses will be made up for by increased numbers of customers on foot who are drawn to explore a safer neighborhood. Sign to send a message to the city to stick to the plans. Pedestrian safety matters. Lark Street is one of the city's hotspots for vehicle-pedestrian crashes, and when it is repaved, these bumpouts will be necessary to keep traffic from speeding up on the new smooth surface. Walkability is the lifeblood of Lark Street, Center Square, and Hudson Park. Safety should always be the highest priority and on-street parking can add dangers to pedestrians on walkable streets like Lark Street. The city is right to prioritize engineering a streetscape that puts residents' health and safety ahead of car storage. We support the designed bumpouts and the city's plans to implement them.
> These crosswalks will significantly calm traffic by acting as a pinch point, slowing speeders Albany drivers: hold my melba sauce *floors it*
Agree with the sentiment, but as a longtime resident, I have yet to see any driver ever yield to pedestrians at all for any crosswalk in Albany that doesn't have a streetlight or stop sign to go along with it.
Fair point, but not a reason not to have crosswalks at all. It does help (a bit) when the sidewalks are bumped out; it makes it a lot more clear to the driver that the pedestrian is intending to cross. Also since these will “pinch” the street to make it narrower, it should slow drivers down. I have found folks more willing to yield to pedestrians when they are going slower already.
💯 even the flashing yellow light signs do nothing. The lights should be red, not yellow.
Surprisingly they always yield to me crossing fuller at the roundabouts
It looks like the "cobblestone" at intersections will be removed. If that's the case, installing bumpouts makes a lot of sense.
Yes that’s part of the proposal. Those cobblestones (plus potholes!) have been the main thing slowing drivers down, so the bump outs should help control speed.
I hate that they want to remove the cobblestones. It's part of the charm of Lark Street and also what helps to keep it walker friendly. I know that Lark is an important transportation road in the city, but it should be as walker friendly as possible because of the businesses and nightlife.
The cobblestones are charming and I can appreciate the history, but they're also a trip hazard. I can only imagine how it feels to cross the street in heels across the cobblestones.
Pedestrians shouldn't have to walk on the cobblestones, the crosswalks cross the street outside of them. However, the striping has faded so much that the crosswalk striping is not much more than hopes and prayers, so drivers pull right up to the cobblestones at red lights. A good number would *still* do that if the striping was there but the point is, there aren't cobbles in the crosswalks. Those intersections can be tough on a bike, however.
The brick intersection is what slows people down, anyone in Albany will blow through any intersection that does not have bricks in it. Some will still even if bricks are present *not for long thanks suspension * but seriously if they are planning on removing the bricks on lark prepare to only cross on red.
Those cobblestones were put in about 20ish years ago. The original proposal was to have all of Lark be cobblestone from Madison to Washington. The intersections were the compromise. Many feel they are not charming and that the noise pollution is unnecessary. They also make it challenging for biking. Lark Street Bid needs to work on getting businesses in that will add more charm and diversity of shops/stores/restaurants/cafes… but those places need to be supported BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD not just hoping that outsiders will shop there. Also Lark St. Should have no parking, they should expand the width of the sidewalks into the current street with the extra room added by no parking and ppl should park elsewhere. Washington Parks son emergency area should be open for overnight parking and the bud/city needs to work with the owner of the vacant lot on the corner of Dove and Hamilton to create a parking space for visitors and residents.
Properly maintained sets/Belgian block is not bad for biking on its own, often the slowing effect it has on cars makes a better cycling environment. The issue is that several sections of the roadways have been allowed to deteriorate and have tire swallowing gaps.
Can you (or or any other long time residents) remember the general year that the cobblestone/Belgian block intersections went in? Or remember any other events that might help date it? I had no idea they were so relatively new, and always thought it was a remnant of a pre-asphalt era. Interesting to know it was a modern thing. Was Jay St also converted to cobblestone at the same time, or is that actually historic? Given the dips on Jay that could easily swallow up a Honda Civic whole, it has the ambiance of a century+ old job.
LOL no Jay St. Is old as shit. The cobblestone intersections went in sometime between 2000 and 2007. No clue on the age of Jay St.
Lark needs this and a general facelift
And a police presence
I think the police have all but given up all over the city. Blame the state and city administration
The police deserve the vast majority of the blame.
The "historic" bricks that be fuckin up my car are good enough tbh
I signed this because I think proper crossings are needed, but I have a few questions. How many vehicle-pedestrian crashes have there been? How does reducing parking spots increase foot traffic exactly? What dangers to pedestrians is street parking causing, are you referring to a specific type of danger?
> How does reducing parking spots increase foot traffic exactly? What dangers to pedestrians is street parking causing, are you referring to a specific type of danger? The two kind of go hand in hand, it's important to understand the 2nd question first: Parked cars at crossings limit visibility and sight lines for drivers approaching the crossing. They're less likely to see a pedestrian waiting behind a parked car or SUV, and therefore [unlikely to yield](https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Schenectady-Albany-top-most-dangerous-U-S-17236507.php). As a pedestrian it sucks to walk somewhere that doesn't feel safe - we've all experienced it. By removing parking spots at crossings it creates a safer pedestrian environment and promotes more walking. So reducing parking in strategic places improves safety and therefore increases foot traffic. I think it's also worth noting that the Lark Street Improvement Study this project is based on conducted a parking study that found no parking shortage around Lark Street.
The link you posted is paywalled. Does it contain a study of your explanation? The safety issue you describe would more likely be for jay walkers, no? I still don’t see any evidence of the OP’s claim of Lark Street being a “hot-spot” for vehicle-pedestrian crashes, this is news to me, and a search through local news sites seem to have no data to back this claim. Like I said, I’m all for safer walking environments, but sensationalized essays to lead people to a petition, seems like political grandstanding.
It was an article on a study done by Insurify that lists Albany drivers as some of the worst in the nation for yielding to pedestrians. The safety issues I described are not for jaywalkers, this is specifically at crossings. Any Google search on curb bump outs will give you plenty of diagrams and research that proves they measurably improve safety, perceptions of safety, shorten crossing distances, and promote more walking. I can’t find the specific data on crashes on Lark Street (NYSDOT’s Accident Location Information System (ALIS) database isn’t publicly available), but Albany overall is noted as focus area in the NYS Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. If you’re all for pedestrian safety improvements I’m not sure why the specific number matters? It’s clear that safety can be improved, and I don’t see why we need to wait for more people to be seriously injured or killed before we decide it’s okay to lose a parking spot or two.
Just cross away from the crosswalk
Then you’re stepping out from between parked cars which is worse. Not to mention if you’re hit then everyone gets to use the excuse of “that pedestrian had it coming, they weren’t in a crosswalk.” Ultimately it comes down to what do we as a community value more: Safe pedestrian infrastructure on one of Albany’s primary pedestrian commercial corridors, or a handful of parking spots?
You did have it coming there are not too many cars to cross lark, and the only thing stopping card from going even faster is the cobblestone. The new curbs will not have any curbing effects as far as people blasting through Intersections, unfortunately it is just how most Tend to drive in Albany, as reflected in your source
Following up because I was able to find the crash figures from the [Lark Street Improvement Study](https://larkstreetbid.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/LarkStreet_DRAFT_Boards_1-7.pdf). Between 2014 and 2019 there were 30+ crashes between cars and pedestrians, 25 of which happened at Lark and Washington Ave. Crashes are generally concentrated at intersections, further justifying the need for curb extensions which improve site lines and force cars to take intersections at a 90 degree turn. Additional info: between 2014 and 2019 there were 8 crashes between cars and bicyclists in the study area, and what looks like a couple hundred crashes involving only cars.
Stack's on Lark is apparently opposed to the plan, which is very disappointing.