BRO's Steel once wrote about this corner and how the landscape and the buildings contributed to a brilliant sense of urbanism. A combination of tall apartment buildings with commercial corner stores and gallery, along with the Church of the Ascension, Tapestry Charter School, historic mansions and Sisti Park make this a desirable corner to live near. Now, with the traffic calming measures being put into place, this neighborhood will become more walkable and more inviting. There will be clear delineations marking both Linwood and Franklin as well. For years people have complained about the speeding cars on this street. This infrastructure improvement should help to alleviate much of those traffic concerns.
Street Success
BRO's Steel once wrote about this corner and how the landscape and the buildings contributed to a brilliant sense of urbanism. A combination of tall apartment buildings with commercial corner stores and gallery, along with the Church of the Ascension, Tapestry Charter School, historic mansions and Sisti Park make this a desirable corner to live near. Now, with the traffic calming measures being put into place, this neighborhood will become more walkable and more inviting. There will be clear delineations marking both Linwood and Franklin as well. For years people have complained about the speeding cars on this street. This infrastructure improvement should help to alleviate much of those traffic concerns.
Comments
Leave a commentGood stuff. I still cant figure out why there are stop signs at half the traffic circles in the city??? Doesn't a legit traffic circle supposed to just have a yield sign?
Because around here, "YIELD" seems to mean "charge out in front of anything coming your way!" (as STOP means "touch your brake pedal for a split second, but keep rolling"). The new Richmond circles had too many accidents, as a result.
I can agree with that. What I would give to be a traffic cop for a day around this city...
You think it's bad in Buffalo? You should see the utter chaos here in the Twin Cities since they decided to start replacing some "traditional" intersections with traffic circles and roundabouts.
Couple the average Minnesota native's lack of driving skill with their passive-aggressive nature, and it's not a pretty picture. Even with yield signs in place, 90% of the drivers here (that is not an exaggeration) just barrel into the roundabouts without slowing down or looking left, regardless of whether or not any cars are already in the roundabout with the right-of-way. All a cop here would have to do is camp out near one and he'd fill his weekly quota in a couple of hours.
From my experiences driving up and down Richmond (I lived at the corner of Pennsylvania and Orton), I can say that Buffalo is a driving paradise compared to the Upper Midwest.
Back on topic... It's about time they did something with that intersection. I used to avoid it like the plague.
Why would you want to lose your eyesight for a day? I see so many bad drivers doing incredibly dumb things it really makes you wonder if our society really is progressing and evolving. Of course, just coming from MI and driving through ON, WNY drivers are almost a relief.
How about fixing Starin and Colvin between Hertel and Kenmore. It's just like Delavan between Main and Delaware. It's like one and a half lane either direction. Smart thing would be to make one lane either way and put in a turn lane. Or on Delavan actually put a sidewalk on the north side of the street considering there are bus stops. In any case, all these examples give drivers the "option" to create their own lane.
I thought this project was dead after hearing nothing for so long. This is going to be a HUGE improvement in that area!
what a good idea! linwood is still an unpatrolled speedway but this will help. if you really want to calm traffic, make it two-way.
i hate when corners get shaved down so that drivers do not need to brake to turn. can we get the northwest corner of elmwood & forest likewise restored? it is a terrible hazard for pedestrians and cyclists.
to say nothing of the fact that there is a large hospital on the corner with patient's attempting to negotiate the often chaotic mess there.
are there plans available.. The DPW department must have some drawings... It would be nice to see what the final product will look like.
Now what about the turn at Pearl and Main???? Cars luv SPEEDING there too!!!! Not safe as well as confusing on knowing just which way cars are going since 'Turn Signles' are just an option for most.
I guarantee there will be more accidents, albeit auto-on-auto accidents, with the current setup, if lights are not timed better. I drive this way every day (responsibly) and have seen at least 1 car, usually 2, run the light coming from Delaware to Main as I drive north on Franklin to Linwood.
I'm all for more green space and traffic calming, but aren't the traffic circles where everything has been moving towards? Why revert back to multiple 90 degree angles here?
Maybe it will look better upon completion.
This intersection was a pain for pedestrians. Until I get my dream of seeing cars off the road altogether, I'll count it as a step in the right direction!
I'm not sure how the intersection was a pain for pedestrians. I manage to cross at the designated crosswalks, with lights, just fine almost every day.
I am in agreement with rwalley211 - the way it is set up right now, and presumably going forward, is a recipe for disaster. I've had several near accidents while "turning" from Franklin onto Linwood because of folks on North running the light from Delaware towards Main.
Thought I saw plans some time ago that had this as the first step towards making the traffic on that section of Franklin two way. Any word on that?
Some changes have been made further up Franklin regarding day time street parking, which would seem necesary to implement two way traffic between Franklin and Linwood, and the section of Franklin that's already been made two way.
This is only a few hundred feet from the new building going up in the BNMC.
the condition of North St, Allen St, and Virginia St is embarassing and horrible to drive on, and almost impossible to bike on. As 3 of the main streets in Allentown, I can't believed they are passed up for reconstruction year after year. They are bumpy, there are no lines painted and generally just look like crap.
Also, there are 2 other dangerous intersections that should be addressed- Virginia St @ Cottage: people drive that curve (the one in front of Betty's) like its the start of the on-ramp to the 190...they take the turn WAY too fast and I've often felt uncomfortable sitting on the patio there.
The intersection of Hudson/Cottage/Plymouth is another one. No one stops at the stop sign, and they take the turn way too fast onto Plymouth. Hudson should have a reverse direction so that it no longer serves as some sort of through street from Niagara- traffic should be using Elmwood or Porter. just my thoughts.
i'm not sure if any roadway design changes will stop people from running red lights. can someone with some expertise comment?
I think that stretch of Franklin from Allen to North is bricks that were paved over. Every so often a sink hole will open up and expose the bricks.
burbsarenotbuffalo, I am not sure where you reside or for how long but Allentown residents are not keen to widening streets, even for bikes for the most part. I like it because the small streets slow traffic.
@Eisenbart- I live in Allentown, own a home, and not once in my comment did I mention widening any street. I mentioned the condition of the streets, in regards to the surface condition which I and my neighbors find embarassing. You obviously don't spend much time down here if you don't know what I'm talking about.
@Delawarian- if the downtowners need an egress... there are multiple ramps to all major highways DOWNTOWN. I do not feel for them. I could care less if they put speed bumps there, just to slow people down. If they live in EV, North Buf, etc., and work downtown, they should be embarassed that they drive to work and do not find alternate means of transportation (Metro Bus, Rail or god forbid bike or walk). They should be forced to sit through every one of the unsychronized lights on Delaware.
I am looking out my window and not seeing what you are describing to me friend. Allen St has sidewalk stickers, car spot stickers, and a painted double yellow line. Allen is also cleaned up with a street sweeper. What more do you want? Is the street void or all cracks and bumps? No, but considering the traffic it sees I'd say it is doing all right. This federal stimulus money won't last forever and there are streets in Buffalo that are worse off.
The section of Allen between Franklin and Delaware is beyond outrageous. There can be no excuse for the inept "restoration" of the street following an infrastructure excavation. As far as the condition of the sidewalks......well........I won't even go there. I'm waiting for someone to sue the city.
Not to be a naysayer, but since Franklin/Linwood is used as an egress for people leaving downtown, this new "intersection" is going to cause headaches for people turning from Franklin onto North onto Linwood. Hopefully there will be turning arrows because this could possibly end up a congested mess. Drivers avoid Delaware because of the non-synched lights and half of Main is closed to traffic. I'm just waiting for the first car to drive up Ascension's steps.
delawarian, ascension church has been terminating franklin street for the entire history of the automobile and always will, unless you pick the church up and move it a few yards to the west. before this roadway intervention, nothing stopped drivers from ending up on its front lawn.
restoring the curve in franklin should steer people away, so to speak, from driving up ascensions's front steps. might have a few lapses with drunk and texting drivers at first, then it'll be fine.
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might appear minor, but this is a big improvement. happy to see.