Yvonne wrote:
... Also, who is John? ...

Yvonne wrote:
Since I made the comment I notice you didn't respond to the issue of new condos going up and not having enough parking or no parking for the development. It is a legitimate concern for people. I personally know of people circling the blocks trying to find parking spaces. Do you favor condos going up with reduced or no parking? Saying it is out of context does not answer the question.

user1111 wrote:
Quote:

Yvonne wrote:
. He said Candice commented, "People don't need cars, they work in NY." He was stunned.

This is idiotic, hopefully she backtracks that.

Yvonne wrote:
. He said Candice commented, "People don't need cars, they work in NY." He was stunned.

dtjcview wrote:
Pebble

What's the problem, time? Cost? Mileage? Numbers on google maps not work for you? Traffic goes slower on local streets west of 78, but obeys google's numbers east of 78?

And why isn't a new on-ramp, at say Columbus, a better option? You'd prefer to dodge the line at the Holland by cutting through local streets instead of using 78? You'd rather lobby for the right to drive thru downtown, than lobby for better 78 access and solutions to tailbacks at the tunnel?

Speed cameras, yes. Stop sign cameras, yes. More enforcement, yes. Proposed traffic calming, yes. Pedestrian plazas on residential streets such as Erie and Manila, yes.

Less speeders and traffic volume, yes please.

Azul_the_Cat wrote:
How about this?

1. The city puts speed humps (not bumps) along local streets that are frequently used as a cut through. It works in Hoboken on Clinton street to slow people down. Trust me, if you hit those at 25 mph once you'll never do it again.

2. Police step up enforcement of existing laws re: yielding to pedestrians in cross walks. I remember there was a ticket blitz some months ago with undercover cops posing as pedestrians; then ticketing drivers down the block who didn't yield. Increase fines and points as well. Extra money for the city to fund more enforcement.

3. Speed cameras on Grand and Columbus. The speed cameras on Queens Blvd have helped to slow down the traffic a lot. Plus the speed cameras can generate money to fund the speed humps and more red light/ speed cameras in other areas.

4. Random speed traps set up on secondary streets where people are known to speed. If you publicize this is going on I'm sure it will help to slow some people down. Again more money generated for the city.



One thing I think we all need to realize is the volume of people driving through the DTJC is only going only going to get worse, especially with all the new high rise, high density condos being built. What we need to focus on is how can we slow people down to make it a safe environment for everyone. Pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

Yvonne wrote:
He said Candice commented, "People don't need cars, they work in NY."

dtjcview wrote:
Get it right Pebble.

Speeding commuters kill people. Not cars = death.

Speeding commuters should not be on residential streets. Not cars banished

And compare the routes you mentioned using mapquest or google maps. 1-5 mins extra time at worst going through 78 junction 14B instead of downtown, not 15 mins. And a new on-ramp at LSC or Columbus would make the commute faster.

Pebble wrote:
Quote:

dtjcview wrote:

Quote:

Pebble wrote:
....
I never argued in favor of speeding. You have my quote in your post, please, point out exactly where I argue that paying taxes allows people to speed.

Route 78 isn?t always the best route. Columbus might be solid. I know that Montgomery and Grand is often used, based on proximity. I?ve not tried to drive in that direction of the extended spur of the Turnpike, but is that portion a toll road?

In short, I?m just trying to grasp where you think cars should just be banished from the roads entirely. There has to be a middle ground where drivers can still get to where they are going, without taking a half an hour to get out of the city, and commuters can be safe reaching the train in a timely manner.

....and I never argued that cars should be banished entirely. However, we've seen the consequences of commuters using local streets as a cut through: speeding and pedestrian deaths. Local commuter access to streets should never take priority over neighborhood safety, and if drivers are inconvenienced by being forced to slow or change route, tough.

The "middle" ground for your specific example was to improve connections to 78E, and make it the best route to the Holland Tunnel for traffic coming from the south. It would be much better to have on ramps to 78E at LSC and/or Columbus, than the existing plan to build a bridge between Philip St and Jersey Ave, and feed LSP/commuter traffic through downtown.

There is an on-ramp to 78E near Bayview Ave, which is probably a faster option from Bergen-Lafayette to the tunnel most of the time, and the toll is likely cents.

Actually, you are arguing for cars off the roads. You wrote this:
However, we've seen the consequences of commuters using local streets as a cut through: speeding and pedestrian deaths.

Your whole argument is that cars = death. Thus, your argument is that you don't want them there.

That Bayview Ave on-ramp is in Greenville. I listed information about someone in my area, Bergen-Lafayette, driving. Essentially, your suggestion to that person is to drive 10 minutes away from the city to get on a highway that will take you about 5 minutes more to get about where you started from. Great suggestion!

If someone lives on Communipaw Ave near Summit, what route do you want them to take? How should they drive if they live on Pacific and Johnston?

Cars don't equal death. People not following the laws that exist result in problems.

dtjcview wrote:

Quote:

Pebble wrote:
....
I never argued in favor of speeding. You have my quote in your post, please, point out exactly where I argue that paying taxes allows people to speed.

Route 78 isn?t always the best route. Columbus might be solid. I know that Montgomery and Grand is often used, based on proximity. I?ve not tried to drive in that direction of the extended spur of the Turnpike, but is that portion a toll road?

In short, I?m just trying to grasp where you think cars should just be banished from the roads entirely. There has to be a middle ground where drivers can still get to where they are going, without taking a half an hour to get out of the city, and commuters can be safe reaching the train in a timely manner.

....and I never argued that cars should be banished entirely. However, we've seen the consequences of commuters using local streets as a cut through: speeding and pedestrian deaths. Local commuter access to streets should never take priority over neighborhood safety, and if drivers are inconvenienced by being forced to slow or change route, tough.

The "middle" ground for your specific example was to improve connections to 78E, and make it the best route to the Holland Tunnel for traffic coming from the south. It would be much better to have on ramps to 78E at LSC and/or Columbus, than the existing plan to build a bridge between Philip St and Jersey Ave, and feed LSP/commuter traffic through downtown.

There is an on-ramp to 78E near Bayview Ave, which is probably a faster option from Bergen-Lafayette to the tunnel most of the time, and the toll is likely cents.

Pebble wrote:
....
I never argued in favor of speeding. You have my quote in your post, please, point out exactly where I argue that paying taxes allows people to speed.

Route 78 isn?t always the best route. Columbus might be solid. I know that Montgomery and Grand is often used, based on proximity. I?ve not tried to drive in that direction of the extended spur of the Turnpike, but is that portion a toll road?

In short, I?m just trying to grasp where you think cars should just be banished from the roads entirely. There has to be a middle ground where drivers can still get to where they are going, without taking a half an hour to get out of the city, and commuters can be safe reaching the train in a timely manner.

Quote:

Pebble wrote:
I?ll preface this by saying that I don?t live Downtown and I do use the PATH to commute. I know people in my area that drive into The City to go to work and, having been in the car with them, I know how they drive.

A lot of people have this misconception that those who drive are doing so out of ?laziness? or some other reason. Personally, I like taking the train. I like reading my book. I also like walking a little bit to and from the station as a small means of exercise.

Others, however, are not fans. I have a friend that doesn?t ride the train because she has unpleasant experiences. Either from gropers in a packed car and you can?t find where those hands are coming from to just not enjoying the feeling of being packed in like sardines. There is also the aspect of being able to run errands while on the way home, if you are in a car. My friend lives close and she drives through Downtown to get to the Holland because driving south west in order to go east is not efficient.

Everybody is a little different in their preferred method of commuting. The streets and sidewalks are all paid for by the tax dollars of those that live around here. Adjusting the roads in such a way that people can?t drive on them is social engineering. I don?t oppose making it safer, but making it impossible to drive through downtown under a nebulous idea of preventing out-of-towners seems wrong. I don?t believe those cutting through Downtown are out-of-towners. I think a lot of them are Bergen-Lafayette residents that see a very direct route. (Remember, there isn?t great mass transit options. The light rail, round trip plus PATH round trip, isn?t that much different in cost than the Holland Tunnel.)

I definitely think a middle ground can be met. I don?t have the answer myself, but I know it isn?t in the one-sided ideas proposed here.

dtjcview wrote:
On-ramps to 78E at LSC and/or Columbus might be a better answer for Bergen-Lafayette residents wanting to get to the Holland tunnel? Plus perhaps solving congestion at the tunnel, instead of pushing traffic on to local streets?

Also, paying local taxes doesn't give anyone the right to speed through local neighborhood streets and kill people. So I'm not sure I see your point.

Pebble wrote:
I?ll preface this by saying that I don?t live Downtown and I do use the PATH to commute. I know people in my area that drive into The City to go to work and, having been in the car with them, I know how they drive.

A lot of people have this misconception that those who drive are doing so out of ?laziness? or some other reason. Personally, I like taking the train. I like reading my book. I also like walking a little bit to and from the station as a small means of exercise.

Others, however, are not fans. I have a friend that doesn?t ride the train because she has unpleasant experiences. Either from gropers in a packed car and you can?t find where those hands are coming from to just not enjoying the feeling of being packed in like sardines. There is also the aspect of being able to run errands while on the way home, if you are in a car. My friend lives close and she drives through Downtown to get to the Holland because driving south west in order to go east is not efficient.

Everybody is a little different in their preferred method of commuting. The streets and sidewalks are all paid for by the tax dollars of those that live around here. Adjusting the roads in such a way that people can?t drive on them is social engineering. I don?t oppose making it safer, but making it impossible to drive through downtown under a nebulous idea of preventing out-of-towners seems wrong. I don?t believe those cutting through Downtown are out-of-towners. I think a lot of them are Bergen-Lafayette residents that see a very direct route. (Remember, there isn?t great mass transit options. The light rail, round trip plus PATH round trip, isn?t that much different in cost than the Holland Tunnel.)

I definitely think a middle ground can be met. I don?t have the answer myself, but I know it isn?t in the one-sided ideas proposed here.

jcman420 wrote:
For one, careless drivers represent a greater risk of harm to pedestrians than careless pedestrians do to drivers...

LurkingSince99 wrote:
Congestion pricing for the LSP and CC Blvd turnpike exits during commuter hours sounds like a good idea. It should have the effect of lowering the volume of cars using DTJC as a shortcut.

tommyc_37 wrote:

I think a good simple idea, for both Columbus and Grand, would be a median in the middle with trees, to give pedestrians a halfway point. Plus it would look damn nice, especially on Columbus which is a pretty ugly streetscape.

tommyc_37 wrote:
I think a good simple idea, for both Columbus and Grand, would be a median in the middle with trees, to give pedestrians a halfway point. Plus it would look damn nice, especially on Columbus which is a pretty ugly streetscape.

What is the best way to propose this and other feedback to Candace, simply email her?

Traffic concerns for commuters really should be the last priority in all of these considerations. We should be encouraging suburban commuters to take public transportation. Jersey City is very well connected from the suburbs.