Improve pedestrian safety and experience around dummy light

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Description

Currently, pedestrians cannot see the traffic signal on the dummy light, so they don't know when to walk. It has also been reported and confirmed by committee by data logging that many cars run and roll dangerously through the light.

One solution that has been proposed is to add timed pedestrian walk signals. These could perhaps include a dedicated walk time when pedestrians can walk while cars in all directions have red lights.

Another solution recommended by the committee has been to add curb extensions to reduce the radius of the turn from Grand St onto Old Post Rd S and to bump out the sidewalk where the crosswalks are to increase visibility of pedestrians waiting to cross.

Photos:

Updates

• 1 June 2022 - the Department of Public Works painted a curb extension on the wide radius corner of Grand St & Old Post Road S.
• 12 February 2021 - committee members used a data logger app built by committee member A.B. to log how many drivers stop, rolled, or blew past the light in each direction. The results were damning and discussed with the mayor and police.
• 16 April 2019 - in meeting, committee members generally agree that a dedicated light for pedestrians only to cross while all cars wait is the solution that makes the most sense, given the dynamics of this intersection.
• 17 January 2018 - created a separate Issue for the traffic study. See Issue #15 for updates specifically about that.
• 14 January 2018 - In committee meeting, the mayor says village has received bids on “Upper Village Traffic Study.” Village staff will be discussing an expanded traffic study w/ school board.
• 6 December 2018 - the Croton Board of Education approved a resolution calling for the village to pursue passive traffic calming strategies, and to expand the scope of the traffic study the village is planning to look into this.
• 19 September 2018 - at committee meeting, Mayor Pugh said the village will be drafting RFPs for a traffic study of the upper village, although that was not in the works yet.

[mlschuer]

Here is traffic study, with recommendation to set dummy light on flashing red and introduce additional stop signs to make it a three-way stop intersection as opposed to a signaled one 19-008 Croton Upper Village Report 09.19.19.pdf .

[mlschuer]

The BPC endorsed the study's recommendation and also urged the trustees to include additional pedestrian enhancements, such as bulbouts and raised or textured crosswalks at a meeting in early 2020. The trustees began considering awarding a contract for the design of the intersection but then tabled it in anticipation of a village-wide budget shortfall.

[mlschuer]

Mayor Pugh recommended the village apply for a NYSDOT/DEC CMAQ grant to cover the cost of designing and implementing the proposed reconfiguration. BPC endorsed the idea at its July meeting (as long as they reflect our notes, attached). BPC Memo On Dummy Light October 2019.pdf However, on July 30, 2021, Mayor Pugh advised the BPC chairperson that the village would NOT be pursuing this grant. "Based on our experience with CPA, the administration of a DOT grant is too expensive to be used on a smaller project," he wrote.

[mlschuer]

BPC re-endorsed Concept Plan 4 as proposed by Provident in a memo to the Board of Trustees on March 22, 2024. Deputy Mayor Len Simon reported on June 20 meeting that it would likely come up at the Trustees August work session. In tandem, the village plans to apply for a $4.5M New York Forward grant once the state opens up applications again (likely in the fall) which would cover streetscaping. The application will likely require village to hold a public meeting for ideas. It is unclear if the village will go forward with Concept Plan 4 before an application is submitted and decided upon.