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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTraffic Safety in Cayuga Heights.PDFFrom: lllizabeth Karnssent: Monday, september 05, 2011 g:28 pMTo: \/CH-TrusteesSubject: FW: Traffic safety in Cdyuga Heights To raise at next meeting. Liz -----Origj_naf Message.----- From: Helga sverrisd6ttir [maitto:helgl.sverrislGgmair.com]Sent: Mon 9/5/2011 7:li5 pM To : Bl-i zabeth KarnsSubject: Traffic safeLy 1n Cayuga Heights Dear Liz, we understand that some of the decisions are at the discretion of the ICSD but areinterested in knowing if the Village of cayuga Heights as any plans to do what is rn theircapaclty to make the commute for our vilddle schoofers safer.-rt so, how? Sincerely Helga and Matti we are writlng to exp::ess our concern fnout the traffic safety of the middle schoofersfrom cayuga Heights weilking or taking th. brr" to and from Boyiton Middle schoor. we are living near the intersection of The parkway and Klinewoods. The bus that ourdaughter is dlrected Lo by the rcDs stfps at the intersection of The parkway and H:-ghgate.To get to the bus stop our 6th grader. lris to cross Hanshaw Road, which is one of thebusier streets in.cayr-rga Helghts and hqs no crosswa]ks in the near vicinity. (Moreover,there is a curve in tlre road near the intersection parkway-Hanshaw which blocksvlsibility' and in our experience cars often drive quite fast there.) what is more, thereare no sldewal-ks -on TLre Parkway for th$ chifdren afCer they have crossed Hanshaw. Nor arethere sidewalks for them where they^ar{ supposed to wait, at the parkway-Highgatelntersection' rt is not a safe way for the tr,ilorur, to get to the schoo] to have to crossbusy streets wlth no cirosswalks, and t$en to wafk along streets wlth no sidewalks. whilewe have described the situation for ou{ daughter, many children are of course in the exactsame boat and some have it even worse. Since we are 11ving ju.st of the inters$ction of the parkway and Klinewoods, and arethereby cateqorized by the Ithaca City School _District as reslding within the ,,wa1king-zone" for the school. But the understarfoing of "walking zone" as what is within a cerraandistance to the school- fails to take irfto iccount what the route to the schoof is like.walking Lhe route to the schoof create$ other sets of hazards. The hifl- feading to BoyntonMiddfe school is steep and with many crlrves blocking visibility; there are hardfy anysidewalks; and Lake street is heavily !rafficked in the mornini'.;J-i; ;;; ;;;;;noon.walking to schoof is too unsafe to be { reallstic option for o,lr 6th qrader. FW: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights Mary Mills Page 1 of3 distance is considered, not the safety of phe terrain. And then there is that courtesy bus that drops kids at the corner where l'he Parkway ends. And yes they walk along the Parkway if they are headed towards camPus/ say, and there is no sidewalk uirtil they cross Hanshaw. And there is no crosswalk on Hanshaw which at that curve I find to be highly dangeroirs because cars speed right there. My son Theo comes home that walr. I have brought a crosswalk across Hansfiaw at the Parkway up with Brent several times over the years and we have gone to that crossing to look at it. After hearing from rrnany concerned parpnts, - about 21.12 or 3 years ago -- I brought From: DianaRiesman[driesman@earthlink.net] Sent: Monday, September 05, 2011 9:38 pM To: Elizabeth Karns, V0H-Trustees Subject: RE: FW: Tratfic safety in Cayuga Heights HiLiz and yes, definitely and by way of a little background, this is, as I am sure you've surmised, not a new issue. And everything Helga and Matti sveris say is absolutely true. Walkability to Boynton and IHS is a big concern among families. People want their kids to walk to school but no one I know thinks having their kid walk up or down Kline or Wyckoff is a good idea. Everything this wom.an says is true in terms of talking to the ICSD and the walking zone issue. Only this up with the trustees. And the Planr{ing Board. I asked Fred and resident Abby Cohn if they'd form a committee to look at walkability issues. Fred made a powerpoint about walking to Boynton and IHS and used our Theo, with a backpack on his back, to illustrate what it is like to walk down or up Wyckoff. I upp then Superintendent of ICSD Judith Pastel and asked her if she rvould like to drive the Wyckoff and Kline routes witt{me and then she could decide if she'd let her children or grandchildren walk those She politely declined. Fred and I went to the Town of Ithaca's lfrails Committee at'rd showed them the powerpoint and talked to them about what we could do. They supportive. Any discussion about walkability, crosswal.ks, sidewalks etc. #ould involve the Village, the Town and the City because of bounriaries. I contacted -d,he group that owns the cemetary and they told me they were willing to let kids walk th 0910612011 the cemetary. Those paths are plowed in FW: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights the winter' Brent hari said he supports adding new sidewalks on wyckoff if that would help. I think we could easiily attract a few more residents to work on this issue and once Fredfinishes his PhD in the next few months, perhaps he would have the time to revibit this. I think we need to look at the walking zoneand why the ICSD cannot have this courtesy bus make one mc streets where there are a ton )re qtop into the Village, at some point closer to these other of kids. 11 at least on my street and the next street. A stop croserto Comstock/Northw ay lrJ pland wou ld b etter serve VCH. I look forward to discussing this with ygu or at the meeting and should you like to see Fred,spowerpoint, I will happily e_mail it to you. Best and thanks, Hope all is well, Diana --- Original Message ---- From: Elizabeth Kains To: VCH-Trustees Sent: 9/5/2011 8',28.44 PM Subject: FW: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights To raise at next meeting. Liz ----Original Message----. From: Helga Sverrisd6ttir [mai]to:helga.sverr:is1 @.gmaiI.cornI Sent:Mon 915120117:55 pM -T*-..-----'To: Elizabeth Karns Subject: Traffic safety in rlayuga Heights Page 2 of3 DearLiz, we are writing to express our concern about thl ftafficsafety of the middleschoolers from Cayuga F{eights warking or takir}rs the bus to ur,a from BoyntonMiddle School. we are living near the intersection of The parkr,Jay and Klinewoods. The busthat our daughter is directed to by the ICDS sto/s at the intersection of The parkway and Highgate. ro glt to the bus stop our 6th 09t06t20r1 FW: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights Cayuga Heights and hils no crosswalks in tt is a curve in trre road near the intersection r;ffi;Hliil;ffiTllTijT:" visibility, and in our experience cars often driize quite fast there.) What is more, there are no siclewalks on The parkwfy for the children after theyhave crossed llanshaw. Nor are there sidewarks for them where they are supposed to wait, at the Parkway-Highgate intersection. It is not a safe wayfor the children to get trc the school to have to cross busy streets with no crosswalks, and then to walk along streets with no sidewarks. while we have described the situation for our daughter, many children are of course in the exact same boat and some have it even worse. since we are living just of the intersection of tkle parkway and Klinewoods, and are thereby categorized by the Ithaca City School District as residing within the "warking-zone" for the school. But the understanding of "vralking zone" as what il within a certain distance to the school fails to take into account what thd route to the school is like. Walking the route to the school creates other sets of hazards. The hill leading to Boynton Middle sdhool is steep and with manvcurves blocking visibility; there are hardly any sidewalks; and Lake street is heavily traffiicked in the morning and in the ifternoon. walking to schoor is too unsafe tcr be a realistic option for our 6th grader. we understancl that some of the decisions are {t the discretion of the ICSD but are interested in kn'wing if the Village of dayuga Heights as any plans Page 3 of3 to do what is irr their capacity to make the comtnut" ro, orr. Middle schoolers safer. If so, how? Sincerely Helga and Matti 09t06t2011 Page 1 of3 Mary Mills From: Christopher Crooker [chriscrooker@!mail.com]Sent: Tuesday, September 06,2011 g:03 AMTo: Diana Riesman; Elizabeth Karns; VCH_Trustees Subject: Re: FW: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights I would love to be included in this. Were it notkind of quality of life issue? Please let's include Rennington in any Northern Cay uga Hei ghtz&s for the deer, wouldn't it be nice to focus on this of walking to and from Boynton/IHS for us among families. people want their kids to discussion I would add, and as has been discussed and from the Schools Thanks for raising. ****{< Christopher Crooker Cell: 207-956-0076 befoie,walkability in the Village is bigger than iust to O1_!Ion, Sep 5, 20ll at9:37 pM,Diana Ri <dri e smauf. @earthi inh ltet> wrote : 3*f:1113s, aeniirrely and by way ora-i-t-ttre u"ffi this is, as I am sure you'vesurmised, not a new issue. And everything Helga and Matti Sveris saylis absolutely true. Walkability to Boynton and IHS is a big walk to school but no one I know thinks having their kid walk up or down Kline or wyckoff is a good Everything this woman says is true in issue. Only of talking to the ICSD and the walkins zone distance is considered, not the safety of the lenaiin. And then there iis that courtesy bus thatdrops kids f,:*il:ffi.flere The parkwav ends. An$ ves thev walk along the parkway if they are ffiti#fi|;,:ild'n"tt is no sidewalk until {h.l..orr Hanshaw. And there is no *osswalk on f;:H:Hlfijrl"o to be highlv dangerous bfcause cars speed right there. My son rheo comes I have brought a crosswalk across Hanshaw at the Parkway up with Brent several times overthe years and we have gone to that crossing fo look at itt. ' After hearing from *?nI concerned parents,! about.2 u,2 or.3 ygqs ago -- I brought this upwith the trustees. And *re Planning iloard. I *L.d l;d ""1resident Abby cohn if they,dform a committee to look at waka6ilit/ irruit.-et.irnro. u po*r.point about walkins to 09t06t201r drive the wyckoff and Kline routes *i,l.t": and then she could decide if she,d let her children orgrandchildren walk those, roads. She potiltety d.dir;l.^ F.J uno r *.ni to lrr" io*n of Ithaca,s Traitscommittee and showed.them the powirrfili u"a iuir..ai; th"* about what we could do. Theywere supportive' Any discussionibout #alkability, rtorr*unr, sidewalks etc. would involve thevillage, the Town arrd the citv becaur; Jb";;;;iili;#"cted the g.;up thuiowns the cemetaryand thev told me the'v were *ilting to let $ids;;ilhr*gir',rr. :9;i.,y. Th"* paths are plowed inthe winter' Brent has said he supp6rts uJqinjn.*;il;ffiil, "n wyckoff if that would helo. Page 2 of3 Boynton and IHS and used o-ur Theo, with.a backpack on his back, to illustrate what it is like to iltl|]fr1,?:T w'vckorr' I approachJ it*ilffi.ii*j;* orriso ruoi*, purtel and asked her ir I think we could easily attacta few mo.phD in tt . n.*i rr* months, re residents to work on this issue and once Fred finishes his perhaps he would ha"ze the time to revisit fnir. r think we need to look at the walking zone and whythe ICSD cannot H:::,ll#:fyr3;t make one more stop into the village, at some point closer to these orher streets of kids. 11 at least on my street and thewould better serve VCH gxt street. A stop closer to ComstockA.{orthway llJpland *T*i}"ii:,:,dn:.::?llg lli:,y_i1h you or at the meeting and should you tike to see Fred,spowerpoint, I will happily e_mail it to vou. Best and thanks, Hope all is well, Diana ----- Original Messaqe _____ From: Elizabeth Kainq To: VCH-Trustees Sent: 9/5/2011 8:28:4,1 pM Sub,iect: FW: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights To raise at next meeting. Liz ----Original Message----- From : Helga Sverrisd6ttu. Sent:Mon 915/2011 7:55 pM To: Elizabeth Karns Subject: Traffic safety in Cayuga Heights Dear Liz, Y* * writing to express our concern about the :9|tg9.1"ry from Cayuga Heighrs watki ffic safety of the middle tng or takitng bus to and from Boynton Klinewoods. The bus the the bus stop our 6th Middle School, We are living near the intersection of The parkwa thar our daughter is directed to by the ICDS;;;ps intersection of The parkway and Highgate. i"-d.t 09t06t201r Page 3 of3 grader has to cross Hanshaw Road, which is orre of the busier streets incayuga Heights and has no crosswalks in the niar vicinitv r,Mnreo,,o" , Layuga Helgnts and has no crosswalks in the near vicinity. (Moreover, thereis a curve in the road near the intersection parkvyay-Hanshaw which blocksvisibility,.and in our experience cars orten Oriu. qi,i;?; rh;r;.;'w#; rs more' tnere are no sidewalks on The.parkway for the chirdren after theyhave crossed Hanshaw. Nor are there sidewalr.r r". trr*'t"hr;;;;'";; supposed to wait, at the parkway-Highgate intersection. rt i, ""t " ,'r,r, *"yfor the children to get to the schbol t6 h"uu. to crgss busy streets wittr nocrosswalks, and then tc, walk along streets with no sidewalks. whire wehave described the situation for our daughter, mfny children are ofcourse in the exact same boat and some have it even worse. since we are_living just of the intersection of thd parkway and Klinewoods, g1d are thereby categorized.by the Ithaca CiW SchoolDishict as residing within the, "walking-zone;' fo[ the school. gut the.understanding of "walking zone" ai what is within a certain distanceto the school fails to take into account what tr,. ,bute io-tt" ,"rr*iii "' like. Walking the route to the school creates other sets ofhazards..The_hill leading to Boynton Middle scrrfot is sieep and with manycurves blocking visibility; there are hardly any sjdewalks; ana late streetis heavily trafficked in rhe moming and in rhe "ft;;o;;. wrrr.i"*'. *ir""ris too unsafe to be a realistic optioi for our 6th g]ruO".. we understand that some of the decisions are at the discretion of the ICSDbut are interested in knowing if the Viilage of cayuga ueiil;;; unu'i'iun,todo wiat is in their capacity ro make ttri commlite"roi ""? viJar. J"toor.*safer. If so, how? Sincerely Helga and Matti 09/06t2011