Improve safety of library crosswalk

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Description

The committee regularly hears about safety concerns for pedestrians at the Croton Free Library crosswalk. This is related but different from issue #1, about cars parked on Cleveland Dr. outside the library.

Residents and committee members have expressed worry that the crosswalk is not very visible, and may be a surprise to motorists. Motorists are widely reported to drive quickly and perhaps dangerously along this stretch of Cleveland Dr, which both creates a safety issue and discourages walking.

Considerations

• There has been a child hit by a car in recent memory in this area.
• The current crosswalk is potentially blind to cars coming from Five Corners and not sufficiently visible from either direction

Traffic calming ideas that have been suggested to or by committee members:

• Repaint crosswalk
• Consider a raised crosswalk (also known as a speed table)
• Raised walkway would also slow traffic (in the same way that speed humps work)
• Consider reinstalling bollard with sign now that parking issue that cramped circulation has been addressed (no parking by crossing)

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During Jan. 18, 2024, committee meeting, Len Simon said village has applied for a $1.4 million grant under the federal Transportation Alternatives Program which would:

1) add a sidewalk from Five Corners to the library along the library side of Cleveland;

2) add additional safety improvements to Five Corners;

3) add a sidewalk along the east side (CET-side) of Cleveland between Hughes and Gerstein.

Len said we will likely know in a few months whether or not we got the grant.

While these steps do not explicitly improve the visibility of the crosswalk, having an alternative sidewalk along the west side of Cleveland (cemetery-side) will reduce the need for children to cross in the middle of the street.

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See issue #93 for some updates on the village's plan for a sidewalk that would connect to library.