Traffic Congestion, Honking & Hazards on Boston Road this morning: At Thwaites Place, up to Pelham Parkway.
Below is correspondence that I sent on behalf of Bronx Park East Community Association to our Community Leaders:
“Good Afternoon Elected Officials, NYPD and CB 11 Members,
As stated in this past week’s 49th Precinct Community Council Meeting, my group is requesting that a Traffic Control Agent (TCA) be stationed at the intersection of Thwaites Place & Boston Road during the morning rush hour from 6:45am to 8:45am.
As you may know, Thwaites Place is a main artery leading cars onto Boston Road and White Plains Road. Due to the congestion further down at Pelham Parkway and Boston Road, this intersection of Thwaites & Boston Road becomes very hazardous for the parents and school children who utilize it to go to nearby P.S. 96 and M.S. 135. It also makes it very stressful for residents of Barker, Olinville and surrounding residential streets who utilize the Thwaites artery to enter Boston Road & White Plains Road.
As seen in the pictures and videos attached, cars, trucks and even buses such as the BxM 11 and the Bee-Line 60-62 “Block the Box” at Thwaites & Boston Road, preventing the cars heading west on the Thwaites artery from going onto White Plains Road. This causes a lot of honking and confusion, as well as illegal and dangerous maneuvers (as seen in the videos I will be sending).
I stood at the intersection of Thwaites Place & Boston Road this morning and here’s what occurred:
7:07am – No TCA’s (Traffic Control Agents) at Pelham Parkway & Boston Road, however there was no congestion yet.
7:13-7:18am – 1st instance of Blocking of the Box (BOB) and Honking at Thwaites Place & Boston Road.
7:20am – TCAs (2) seen at Southwest corner of westbound main road at Pelham Parkway & Boston Road standing at the corner doing their job.
7:25am – 2nd instance of BOB (no pathway for cars to head east towards White Plains Road) occurs at Thwaites & Boston Road, with much honking ensuing.
7:26-7:30am – Traffic light and smooth flowing
7:32am -3rd instance of Blocking of box (BOB) and honking occurs. Traffic starts to become heavy.
7:35-8:16am VERY CONGESTED. Numerous instances of BOB, honking, cars blocking the pedestrian crosswalk and numerous other illegal, dangerous traffic maneuvers.
8:16-8:45am Traffic becomes lighter on Thwaites Place, but is still heavy on Boston Road headed up to Pelham Parkway.
Thus, here are some ideas that I think will alleviate the congestion, hazards and stress of the 6:45-8:45am commute at Thwaites & Boston Road, as well as Boston Road & Pelham Parkway:
1. Placement of 1 TCA at Thwaites Place & Boston Road to preventing vehicles from “Blocking the Box”, doing dangerous maneuvers and honking.
2. Increase the amount of green light time for southbound drivers on Boston Road heading towards Pelham Parkway and Fordham Road.
This is the most heavily congested route, yet there is not enough green light time (approximately 20-25 seconds) for these cars at Pelham Parkway & Boston Road, adjacent to the westbound Pelham Parkway main road. The southbound Boston Road drivers have much more green light time, yet there is nowhere near as much utilization of southbound as there is northbound.
3. Eliminate the Left-Turn bay that allows cars to turn from northbound Boston Road onto Pelham Parkway North (headed to the Barker-Olinville section). This turn bay further ties up traffic when cars have to battle two lanes of congested traffic to drive from the turn bay onto Pelham Parkway North.
If this turn bay is eliminated, vehicles would be still able to get into the Barker-Olinville area by taking a left-turn at Waring Avenue and Boston Road, a mere 1.5 blocks north.
4. Reduce the amount of Left-Turn Bays on the northbound lanes of Boston Road at the Pelham Parkway westbound main road from 2 to 1.
As stated, the northbound congestion is nowhere near as bad as the southbound lane of Boston Road. Reducing the number of left-turn lanes to 1 would perhaps make it possible to give the southbound Boston Road drivers a “Right-Turn Only” green light onto Fordham Road, which would give even more green light time and alleviate overall congestion.
I hope that you can take this feedback into consideration for much-needed safety measures and traffic timing improvements at these intersections.
Thank you for your time and service to NYC.
Sincerely,
Raphael Schweizer – Chairman
Bronx Park East Community Association “B-PECA”
Representing the Pelham Parkway North, Bronxwood & Allerton Neighborhoods of Bronx Community District 11
Phone/Text: 347 – 654 – 7044
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10205348002124260
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