Description
For some reason I don't quite understand, drivers on English drive routinely drive at speeds that are unsafe for this narrow, winding road. While I'd like to believe that people are smart enough to gauge for themselves safe travel speeds based on the conditions at hand, recent events seem to indicate that some drivers will drive what they believe to be the speed limit regardless of road conditions, even to the point of losing control of their vehicles.
Recent event:
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/08/cyclist_struck_1.php
If drivers continue to demonstrate an inability to judge for themselves safe speeds on this road, I suggest that the engineers determine safe speeds for them and communicate this information using highway warning signs from the Manual of Universal Traffic Control Devices.
I recommend a W1-5 (Winding Road Warning Sign) shown here:
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2003r1r2/part2/fig2c-01_longdesc.htm
Combined with a W13-1 (Advisory Speed Plaque) shown here:
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2003r1r2/part2/fig2c-05_longdesc.htm
According to the driver who lost control of her vehicle at this location, she lost control while traveling at "25 m.p.h." under dry road conditions. To me, this indicates that the W13-1 Advisory Speed Plaque should display a recommended speed substantially lower than "25 m.p.h." I recommend 15 m.p.h.
21 Comments
Sarah (Guest)
Agreed. The speed limit is 25 on English (which then becomes Farnham) and changes to 15 only beginning at the parking lot before the last leg of the ascent to the summit. As I found on a recent experimental drive to the summit, people habitually exceed 25 and even 25 feels too fast at some points.
The deeper problem is a sense of accountability and care for the rest of the community who uses this space.
juli (Registered User)
i couldn't agree more. i often run and ride my bike on this road, and the speeds people travel are consistently frightening. most people will speed past me around turns that i know they cannot see around-- it is by sheer luck that no one is coming from the other direction that they avoid collisions.
highly reflective signs, and a few crosswalks where the trails cross the street as well as bike sharrows would also help to remind drivers of the potential presence of cyclists as well as pedestrians.
i think some of this has been discussed with the Friends of East Rock Park...
David Streever (Registered User)
Ray Willis (Guest)
Sarah (Guest)
A question and a comment:
First, how necessary is English Dr/Farnum Dr/Park Dr as a through road? Is there a way to limit through traffic and reserve the road primarily for park visitors?
Second, to echo other comments: setting a lower speed limit, installing more signs that post windy-road warnings and the speed limit, and painting crosswalks are all great ideas. But these measures will only be effective *in combination with stricter enforcement.* This could mean police presence as well as community members reporting infractions.
Ben (Guest)
I agree with Sarah that the road should just be closed to through vehicles.
Resident (Guest)
Although valuable at a city-wide level, traffic enforcement would not solve this specific problem because of the need for a dedicated officer to sit at the location. Anything more than sporadic enforcement on English Drive is highly unlikely given limited police resources (i.e., from a citywide perspective, officer time would be better spent in areas like Whalley Avenue that have exponentially higher traffic volumes of crashes and injuries).
Sporadic enforcement on this road could help at times, but it is far from a complete, long-term solution to the widely-documented problems of the road.
Posting a lower speed limit would be a step in the right direction (as Brian suggests). However, ultimately the road must be redesigned to promote safety, eliminate the possibility of dangerous crashes, allow for optimum use of the road (i.e., as a park road, not a through-highway), and provide true accessibility for all road users.
The community shouldn't sell itself short when it comes to making the largest park in New Haven a better place. Let's think bigger.
Pete (Guest)
David Streever (Registered User)
Hey Pete,
the crosswalk would fare better at the top, where visibility exists and it wouldn't be unsafe.
Reducing the speed to 15 mph & posting a curve warning will probably also help--but not be perfect.
With that in mind, of c ourse some people will just break the law anyway, but I think you just have to look at it as 3 groups--
Engineering (signs, set lower limits) hits the casual speeder. Education improves most drivers. Enforcement hits the worst.
I agree that a closed to cars road would be preferable, but the City has stated clearly that they won't close this road. Regardless, I think it's a good thing to push for--I just like to make sure I have an "ideal" and a "good" solution in mind, and then I try to not get too upset when the solution is even worse than the good one :)
Anonymous (Guest)
David Streever (Registered User)
You may be right--I am fairly certain I was told that the city would never do this but I could be wrong.
Even if they did say "never", I don't think it's a bad thing to work toward. I think? Cedar Hill gets good access to East Rock via State, but I'd really want to spend time talking to that community first.
The last thing we'd want to do is cut-off a neighborhood to a local park & to a really nice street (Orange street).
Anonymous (Guest)
Anonymous (Guest)
Pete (Guest)
Pete (Guest)
David Streever (Registered User)
juli (Registered User)
Sarah (Guest)
Brian Tang (Registered User)
Sweet!
I think Justin Elicker and Bruce Fischer both deserve a huge “thanks!”
(Ethan, if you are reading this, please let Bruce and Mike know that a whole bunch of people who use East Rock Park want to thank you all for installing the new crosswalks.)
Anonymous (Guest)
Stängt Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Registered User)