100% support additional lighting. I walk my dog all the time through that walk and it is rare when I get people who stop. Need also painted cross walk on pavement in bright white.

yes - the white pavement marking strips are GONE!

We've been pushing this issue for at least two years now. The city has yet to share a solution...

And we haven't had a sign in months!

It’s so crazy - That intersection leads to some of the best eating on the block - yet so unwelcoming between where to park and dodging traffic.

Also, the intersection is NOT ADA compliant as the detectable warning strip would send someone right into the middle of the intersection where said cars do not stop.

Yea, I also got hit on Saturday by drivers who just don't care. I even put my hand out to no avail.

It is soooo bad, that on several occasions I actually stopped for pedestrians, they were halfway through the cross walks and the car behind me came whizzing up fast and passed me on the right. Thank GOD the people crossing were in front of my car and had not JUST passed by my car in the crosswalk because they would have been hit.

There has been a sign in the middle of New Scotland previously and earlier this year, BUT YET AGAIN IT GOT HIT AND FLATTENED and Traffic Engineering NEVER replaced it this time. Traffic Engineering also said and promised that they were going to install a system similar to what is farther down New Scotland by C D P C garage 'bus stop' - the push button yellow flashing lights - but after the elected Ward Leader that that intersection is within stated that 'let's rebuild the sidewalks and replace the trees in that area' (which they do not need to have done!), Traffic Engineering 'decided' to wait until these unneeded changes get done, THEN put in the 'yellow flashing lights', yet in the mean time did not replace the street level sign, nor restriped the crosswalk, and probably won't until someone gets hit OR KILLED crossing at Grove Av.

The Helderberg Neighborhood Association is having a meeting WEDNESDAY at 7:00p at 1st Cong Church on Quail St at Maple Av (NOT at Sage College) so you should attend, bring your neighbors, and bring it up under 'old business'. The New Scotland / Woodlawn Neighborhood Association also meets at this location but not until early October.....

I'm on my way to a Common Council meeting and will personally discuss this with Judy Doesschate.

Update: Judy says she is aware of the issue and has been trying to get people on it to resolve the problem.

The sign is also not visible until you are almost at the intersection. Tree branches obstruct the view. Also I’ve learn to pull my car to the right at the intersection so this way no one can come around my passenger side and hit someone. With the proposed restructuring of New Scotland Ave in that are there are going to be even more problems during construction. Maybe our community police officer can start ticketing offenders. Or like they do at road construction have an unmanned police car parked in the area to make people read the sign and slow down to stop

There could also be large 'YIELD' lettering on the pavement (like 'STOP' or 'SCHOOL'). Your NEU officer comments make sense, but when have you actually seen him when he is on shift? Our district is one of two in the whole City that has only 1 NEU officer!! Is that good (low problems) or bad (not enough coverage)? Either way that 1 should be overlapping hours and days. Besides, even if he was on his bike there is no way he could catch up with a violator to ticket...

What about permanent or temporary speed bumps?

Would never happen... but I have seen in Williamstown MA on the surface of Rt 2 in the area of the College,, dug in so snowplows go over them, blinking lights at crosswalks that AUTOMATICLY START FLASHING when someone starts to cross the street!! No button pushing, no solar panels.

Related to the possible not needed construction, we don't need a wider sidewalk, causing a narrower street, we need less outdoor seating, and parking enforcement especially at the intersections and all the corners need 'no parking here to corner' signs and enforced with tickets!!

Part of the reason for the construction project is to ensure ADA compliance. I agree is it largely unnecessary, though. I do like the idea of having a "gutter" on the sidewalk to shovel snow into, but if they make the street more narrow, it should only be parking on one side. (This would also allow for bike lanes.)

I could be wrong but I don't think 'one side parking' was being considered. All the side streets are bad now when the places are busy, we don't need to spread the parking issues even farther out. BTW - the residential streets on the south side of New Scotland MUST BE one ways as well, OR only one side parking, NOT a 2-way and both side parking as now, barely room for 3wide now yet they allow for 4wide traffic - WRONG!!

Thank you for your comment. The City is working on a roadway construction project for this area. Designs phase is underway and improvements for pedestrians will be included in the design. As of now, the project is scheduled for the 2019 construction season.

So no new crosswalk markings until 2019 construction season at least? Extremely disappointing! How is it that further down New Scotland towards AMC gets bright white crosswalks and pedestrian activated warning lights, however our residential “walkable” neighborhood does not?

Last years election came and went just like the promises of your common council members.
Remember this next time around when they run for their no-show jobs.

life long: one side parking was not being considered, it was just my opinion. The proposed construction project is expected to take 6" from each lane. This would, in my opinion make the street very tight with parking on both sides. I think that can be allieviated by eliminating parking on the residential side and substituting having bike lanes in both directions. I do see your point re: parking. However, if we did switch to one-way streets as someone else suggested, that would allow for more parking.

Thoughts?

Smallbany: There are certain councilmembers that I think do a great job, but I largely agree with you. In particular about Sheehan.

Bike lanes are useless!! Look at Madison Ave. It went from 4 lanes to 2 and I’ve yet to see anyone using the bike lane on a bike. Traffic has slowed significantly in both directions. It shouldn’t take 20 min to travel from Russell Rd to New Scotland Ave, but it does now with those ridiculous bike lanes!

One way streets have been proposed around the elementary school in an attempt to alleviate congestion during the drop off and pick up times as well as make it safer for pedestrians. As I understand, the beat officer has proposed this idea on several occasions...presented the idea at several meetings and it’s been shot down by community leaders who were afraid to upset their constituents.

I don't ride a bike. I think they're good in theory if not concept. And this CDPHP thing of $5 an hour to rent a bike?!

Smallbany: send me an email. U seem. interested in fixing Albany rather than complaining about it. ZingingCutieFortyFour@gmail.com

Madison Ave works fine whenever I've been driving on it, and I have seen bikers, rare, yes, but seen. If the bikers got there way, us drivers would not have the center turning lane. When those Traffic Engineering meetings were held, I made it clear that 3 driving lanes were required to maintain 'traffic flow' and the powers to be listened, so you just have to talk to the right people the right way at the right time. New Scotland Av does not have the space for neither a turning lane nor even one bike lane (except for west of St Peter's). Streets, any street anywhere in Albany, that is not physically wide enough for '2-side parking AND 2-way driving' can not have it both ways. The street can only be '1-side parking and 2-way driving' OR '2-side parking and 1-way driving'. ALL the side streets off New Scotland east of St Peter's, with a few exceptions (like Main, Ramsey, Ontario and Academy) should be 'one way' so residents can park on both sides, NOT out-of-area restaurant and bars visitors. Making the sidewalk along the 'strip area' wider is NOT needed just to accommodate outside seating areas. Restrictive seating areas is actually what's needed AND enforced, so the residents can actually walk their street and not have to put up with these 'visitors'. Some minor upgrades might be needed for Helderberg Av to accommodate the one-ways but that would be less costly then rebuilding 'the strip' area. Oh, $5/day CDPHP bikes are only for non-CDTA Navigator users, but I get your point on that issue. When the next public meeting is held about the rebuilding, be sure to attend and express your wants, needs and desires.

Thank you for using SeeClickFix to report an issue in the City of Albany. We understand a considerable amount of time has passed since your request was submitted. If this issue has not been resolved, please submit a new request and it will be addressed by the appropriate department. We appreciate your patience.