Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release #05-63

City Installs Signal to Protect Pedestrians Crossing Oriental Boulevard

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall today announced the installation of a pedestrian activated traffic signal on Oriental Boulevard in Brooklyn. The announcement was made at the intersection of Oriental Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, the site chosen by Department of Transportation (DOT) engineers, who observed a significant number of pedestrians crossing Oriental Boulevard towards Manhattan Beach Park and St. Margaret Mary Church.

DOT collected pedestrian and traffic volumes at several intersections on Oriental Boulevard between Exeter and Irwin Streets from June 18, 2005 through July 3, 2005 and subsequently chose to install a pedestrian activated signal at the intersection of Ocean Avenue, the main north/south corridor in Manhattan Beach.

"In June, the Mayor and I met with the community and listened to their concerns, and today we are delivering on his promise to take action," said Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall. "As a result, Oriental Boulevard will now be safer since pedestrians will control the intersection and a red light will tell drivers they must stop to allow time for people to cross."

Marilyn Chernin, President of the Manhattan Beach Community Group said, "the Manhattan Beach Community Group is thankful to Mayor Bloomberg for responding to our traffic concerns. We are delighted to be working with DOT in our joint effort to find solutions to the traffic problems on Oriental Boulevard. The new traffic signal will enable pedestrians to cross the Boulevard safely with the push of a button."

The new signal will continuously flash yellow on Oriental Boulevard and red on Ocean Avenue. The pedestrian signal across Oriental Boulevard will display a steady "hand" [don't walk] signal. To cross Oriental Boulevard, pedestrians can press a button which will change the signal on Oriental Boulevard from flashing amber, to steady amber, to steady red, stopping traffic. The pedestrian signal will then display the "walking man" symbol and allow pedestrians to safely cross. The signal on Ocean Avenue will continuously flash red, reinforcing the existing stop signs.

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