Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Erie Blvd. leaves Stockaders cross
Residents asking city for safer intersections
BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter

    Crossing Erie Boulevard on foot from the Stockade can be a dangerous proposition, Stockade resident Larry Meyerhoff says.
    To get his point across to the city, Meyerhoff is set today to deliver to City Hall a petition with more than 130 signatures.
    The petition calls for the city to make the Erie Boulevard intersections with Union Street and Liberty Street like the one at State Street, where all traffic stops when pedestrians need to cross. There, pedestrians push a button and wait for the sign telling them to cross.
    The petition also calls for better enforcement of traffic laws at the intersections.
    Asked about the issues this week, Mayor Gary McCarthy pointed to the long-anticipated Erie Boulevard reconstruction project that is set to get under way in May. Project officials say there will be some improvements for pedestrians.
    McCarthy also agreed that increased enforcement of traffic laws already on the books may be in order along the corridor.
    “We’re looking to modify this as part of the redevelopment of Erie Boulevard, which has taken far too long,” McCarthy said. “Some of it, where drivers aren’t complying with signs or yielding to the pedestrian’s right of way, we may need to do more aggressive enforcement.”
    But for Meyerhoff, who lives on Green Street and walks as much as he can, the solution is a simple one. He says pedestrians crossing Erie at Liberty, Union and even Green streets fear drivers turning into the crosswalk as they cross.
    He is proposing through his petition that both directions of travel be stopped for pedestrians wanting to cross, with no right turns allowed.
    “You’re walking thinking you have a protected walk, and you don’t,” Meyerhoff said.
    State Street is where Meyerhoff’s neighbor Dale Miller chooses to cross Erie when he’s going to work and coming home.
    “I don’t want to cross at Union or Liberty because it’s become too dangerous. I think it’s always been dangerous,” Miller said. “You don’t cross the street without assuming that people are going to ignore you.”
    Miller is one of the 138 individuals to sign Meyerhoff’s petition.
    Meyerhoff also called for increased enforcement of traffic laws at the intersection. He cited the November killing of Schenectady County Community College student Cassandra Boone, struck as she crossed Erie Boulevard at the State Street intersection.
    In that case, though, authorities now believe there also was criminality involved. Authorities believe the driver, Anthony Gallo, was high on drugs when he ran a red light and struck Boone, before fleeing the scene. Gallo was also driving without a license, authorities allege. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the charges against him.
    The petition comes as the city is about to finally start the large Erie Boulevard project. According to project manager John O’Sullivan, the project includes better, more longer-lasting striping at State, Liberty and Union streets. .............................>>>>........................>>>>....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00101&AppName=1

I'be got an idea - make Erie a one lane in each direction road - like State ... that'll fix everything.

/tic

Question here..........how did folks cross that street when GE and the Alco employed practically the entire city?

Should read Driving on Erie Blvd can be a dangerous proposition, the roads are falling apart

It's really too bad because, quite frankly, go on Broadway by the social services building and people walking are all OVER the road. Same holds true for State Street and Erie as well. MANY people don't cross in the crosswalks anyway.

Hey, how are those cameras working?

Hey. back in the day...people rode busses or walked....less cars on road...

Drivers we not in a hurry and was courteous to walkers....

The only speeders were the one on Friday nites....when the "hot" cars raced on State St...

or just cruisin'...   back in the day.....

Quoted from Henry

Should read Driving on Erie Blvd can be a dangerous proposition, the roads are falling apart

This reminds me of the recent outcry that 890 had so much more traffic on it then 40 years ago when 60,000 people worked at the bustling GE. It has gotten "so bad" that they need wooden sound barriers put up. Yeah, OK. That road has a THIRD of the traffic as it once did. JUST LIKE Erie Blvd. How dumb. Go move to Duanesburg,

Quoted from rachel72

It's really too bad because, quite frankly, go on Broadway by the social services building and people walking are all OVER the road. Same holds true for State Street and Erie as well. MANY people don't cross in the crosswalks anyway.

Hey, how are those cameras working?

Folks with common sense knew all along the location of DSS was not the right place for a lot of reasons.  Ever try to walking under the bridge and try and not get hit by everyone turning every which way sidewalks are a joke  The waiting room is too small.   It is a out right foolish location.  I won't say that it looks like someone who knows someone got a lot in that deal that wouldn't be to nice of me and I have no proof.  Of course I would never say there is corruption going on either.

Speaking of DSS, that mortar job looks GREAT! I ALWAYS like to put a finish that last 3 years on MY properties.

Quoted from bumblethru

Question here..........how did folks cross that street when GE and the Alco employed practically the entire city?

horse and buggy