[SustainableTompkins] Rt 13 at Third

[Margaret McCasland]

Hi Kent,

Do you know the history of this intersection?  It used to be painted  
for crosswalks, but the State did not repaint after a major repaving  
about 7 years ago.

When Aldi's was built, they paid thousands of dollars towards a safer  
crossing. I think that money is still waiting to be used, to be pooled  
with DOT and local (ideally from fed grants) funds.

This is an essential intersection for people--many of them Northside  
residents without cars--who need to cross there to get to Aldi's and  
the Community Gardens as well as the IFM (maybe even B&W).

I think a pedestrian island combined with zebra stripes would work  
best.  People with kids and or limited mobility could go half way, and  
then safely wait for the next crossing cycle.  This is often done in  
large cities with wide boulevards and many lanes of traffic.  But it  
also seems ideal for this otherwise very dangerous but very important  
crossing.

It also could be THE bike/pedestrian gateway from downtown to Stewart  
Park and the whole Waterfront Trail. (Dey St, would be harder to make  
safe, as a major crossing.) It would be an attractive way to welcome  
people to a walkable, bikeable city!

However the island should NOT have plantings, which can obscure views  
of smaller people, folks in wheelchairs, recumbent bikes, etc (as an  
aside, some of the existing islands should have some of their  
plantings removed, to be replaced with ONLY very low plants).

One of your predecessors wanted a pedestrian bridge, and therefore did  
not push the state DOT for "lesser" options, or even for restriping  
the crossing on an interim basis. But a bridge would be an obstacle  
for all but very fit people not carrying much stuff.

I know that this has to be a City-State partnership, but the state DOT  
will do exactly nothing until the City insists on a solution that  
works for a wide range of city residents.

Thanks,

Margaret McCasland
(former member of the City BPAC)

511 First St.

272-2544