Description
This is a new "temporary" crosswalk installed more than 3 weeks ago.
It was put in to divert pedestrian traffic on the north side of Pavonia away from the construction site at 616 Pavonia (Homestead Place). See Issue ID: 11756659
Curb ramps for wheelchairs, etc. need to be installed on both sides of the street.
There is only one single small sign on the north side of the street: "Sidewalk Closed >> Cross Here".
Larger signs are needed on both sides, as well as large pedestrian crossing signage.
The 3 guy wires from the nearby wood pole obstruct half the crosswalk on the south side of Pavonia. They are a real hazard to pedestrians, especially the visually impaired.
The guy wires need additional plastic guards installed to protect pedestrians. Better yet, two signposts with metal sheets between them could be installed to completely block off the hazard.
At Pavonia & Homestead there is a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon ( RRFB ) installation that pedestrians can actuate when they want to cross Pavonia Ave.
There are two signals, one at each end of the crosswalk, which have yellow LED lights to warn oncoming vehicles. A button is mounted on each pole below the beacons and signs.
Both sides normally flash when either button is pressed.
They have not been working properly for more than a month. See Issue ID: 11712358
RRFBs should be installed at this new crosswalk.
also asked...
A. 6. Traffic: Other Traffic/Safety Study Request
34 Comments
Jersey City, NJ (Verified Official)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
NJ adopted the federal 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Part 6 Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) applies to all the construction sites along the 600-block of Pavonia Ave.
MUTCD Section 6A.01 General states:
Standard: TTC plans and devices shall be the responsibility of the authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction for guiding road users.
In other words, JC Trafffic is responsible for ensuring that the construction sites have compliant TTC.
JC Traffic's response to the issues raised so far seems improvised and incremental, with pedestrians considered last.
jerseyflea (Registered User)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
This is definitely the better alternative.
Nevertheless, curb ramps, larger "Sidewalk Closed" signs, large pedestrian crossing signage and RRFBs will all be needed.
TC (Registered User)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
Yet, two building sites in the 600 block of Pavonia have closed sections of the sidewalk, inconveniencing thousands of pedestrians and exposing them to traffic hazards.
The portal shows no current information for the offending sites at 605, 615 and 616 Pavonia. It does show that the JH Assembly Hall has a permit to close their sidewalk on JFK Boulevard, which expires on 3 March.
The "AMENDED PRELIMINARY / FINAL MAJOR SITE PLAN - JOURNAL SQUARED - PHASE 3" submitted to the JC Planning Board has 18 sheets. Item 9 in "Site Notes" on sheet 8 states:
"Site logistics plan and construction staging plan to be submitted to the Jersey City Building Department and Division of Engineering prior to construction.
Plans to include but not be limited to: commencement dates, pedestrian protection methods, location of parking, trailers, vehicle loading and unloading etc."
Who is not doing their job?
TC (Registered User)
Acknowledged Engineering – Billy C (Verified Official)
TC (Registered User)
TC (Registered User)
I’m 4 JC (Registered User)
Closed Engineering – Billy C (Verified Official)
TC (Registered User)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
Traffic – Billy C,
You state that "We do have the proper permit from the contractor to close the sidewalk at their property."
No planned street and sidewalk closures for this block appear on the JC SDL Portal website "Traffic Permit" map.
Please answer the following questions:
Who issued the permit: JC Traffic, JC Building Department or JC Division of Engineering?
Why doesn't it appear on the SDL Portal "Traffic Permit" map?
Why was the contractor allowed to close the sidewalk BEFORE all the Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) was in place and approved by JC Traffic?
jerseyflea (Registered User)
Traffic – Billy C,
You state that "We are working with the contractor to place more signs so pedestrians know where to cross ..."
New pedestrian signage was recently installed (see photo). The two signs each have 8 flashing yellow LEDs, On Tuesday afternoon, only the south (right) sign was flashing. The north (left) one wasn't. The signs face west to warn eastbound drivers, but there are no signs facing east for westbound drivers.
Please answer the following questions:
Why are there no signs facing east for westbound drivers?
Is this block of Pavonia Ave. going to be converted to eastbound one-way traffic?
jerseyflea (Registered User)
Traffic – Billy C,
You state that "We are ... also going to make the temporary crosswalk ADA accessible and safe for pedestrians to cross at that location."
Cold patch asphalt was installed to make ADA ramps on each side of the street (see photo). The problem is that this temporary crosswalk is in the WRONG location.
On 11 February I posted: "There is actually plenty of space to move the entire crosswalk to the west, away from the garage entrance, wood pole and guy wires entirely.
This is definitely the better alternative."
Please answer the following questions:
Why isn't the crosswalk being moved west, away from the guy wires?
Was the crosswalk and signage "designed" to provide unobstructed access to the east parking space in front of 626 Pavonia?
jerseyflea (Registered User)
Engineering – Billy C (Verified Official)
Reopened jerseyflea (Registered User)
Traffic – Billy C,
We have never received an answer to the main question: Why was the sidewalk closed at all?
The sidewalk should never have been closed before all the necessary Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) measures were in place, including large orange signs.
Please answer the following questions:
Why are there no signs facing east for westbound drivers?
Is this block of Pavonia Ave. going to be converted to eastbound one-way traffic?
FixItNow (Registered User)
FixItNow (Registered User)
Engineering – Billy C (Verified Official)
FixItNow (Registered User)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
The photo was taken yesterday after Daniella G. closed the issue. I reopened it.
The wind and vehicles took down the signs on the south side of the street.
The pedestrian crossing sign with flashing yellow LEDs is gone.
The advance pedestrian warning sign was knocked down and hasn't been replaced.
On the north side, the pedestrian crossing sign is skewed and turned so that it faces the north sidewalk, not the eastbound lane on the south side of the street.
The flashing yellow LEDs on that sign are faint and barely visible in sunlight. They need to be brighter.
There are still no warning signs on the east side of the crosswalk to warn westbound traffic of the pedestrian crosswalk.
At Pavonia & Homestead there is a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installation that pedestrians can actuate when they want to cross Pavonia Ave.
The RRFBs are two-sided and point in both directions to warn traffic.
RRFBs should also be installed at this temporary crosswalk.
TC (Registered User)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
Large orange "SIDEWALK CLOSED - USE OTHER SIDE" signs are needed at both ends of the construction fence on the north side of Pavonia.
These 36" diamond warning signs are readily available. This supplier is based in Brooklyn:
https://www.roadtrafficsigns.com/sidewalk-closed-use-other-side-construction-sign/sku-k-0447
Why haven't the signs been installed yet?
LongTimeNeighbor (Registered User)
FixItNow (Registered User)
FixItNow (Registered User)
TC (Registered User)
I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday at 600 Pavonia. I had more than the usual trouble crossing the street because of the 2 small parking lots that let out right by the crosswalk. I had to help a driver know when it was safe to turn onto Pavonia. It’s insane.
I have to wonder if the Mayor would put up with these dangerous walking and driving conditions if his office was on this block.
exart (Registered User)
jerseyflea (Registered User)
The sidewalk in front of the construction site at 616 Pavonia (Homestead Place) was finally re-opened.
I posted a new issue dealing with the outstanding problems for pedestrians in this block of Pavonia:
https://seeclickfix.com/issues/12994944
jerseyflea (Registered User)
The black paint has worn off. It now looks like this is a valid crossing.
A new crosswalk was installed about 40 feet west, but has no signage or a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installation that pedestrians can actuate when they want to cross Pavonia Ave. See Issue ID 12994944:
https://seeclickfix.com/issues/12994944
The white thermoplastic lines should be scarified or milled off to thoroughly remove any hint that this is a safe crosswalk.
Closed jerseyflea (Registered User)