A Hutchinson River Parkway exit in Pelham Bay that has been the site of numerous car accidents over the past few decades may finally get some new signage designed to slow down traffic.
Community leaders in Pelham Bay have been concerned with the northbound exit 3E off of the parkway for decades, as cars sometimes lose control as they come onto a winding service road just east of Mayflower Avenue.
Oftentimes these cars are travelling at highway speeds and do not slow down, said long-time community activist and vice-president of the Pelham Bay Taxpayers and Community Association Anita Valenti.
Valenti once owned a car that was parked near the off-ramp that was totaled when a driver lost control and rear ended her vehicle.
Ever since then she has been calling on the city Department of Transportation to do something at the site, once lobbying for a stop sign that was ultimately put on Mayflower Avenue instead of at the Hutchinson River Parkway service road, where it would have been of more use, she said.
“We had a meeting at the location with Bronx DOT commissioner Constance Moran, and she said that a speed hump could not be installed as cars approached the intersection of Mayflower Avenue and the Pelham Parkway South service road because there is too much of a curve in the road,” Valenti said.
Instead, the DOT will look into installing signs alerting motorists that there is a sharp curve as they get off the highway, urging them to obey the speed limit as they come onto the city street, which is set at 30 miles-per-hour.
“DOT met with community members and elected officials to discuss concerns about speeding at this location and informed them that we will investigate whether any measures, such as new signage or markings, can calm traffic here and once a determination has been made any plans will be shared with the local community board and others,” said DOT spokesman Monty Dean.
DOT has already pledged to add some more traffic calming devices at the location, said Valenti and Senator Jeff Klein, who has worked on the matter diligently over the past few years as requests for different kinds of traffic controls have been suggested for the location.
“I am pleased to learn that Pelham Bay will be receiving help to reduce speeding,” Klein said. “For many months, my constituents have expressed concerns that this section of the neighborhood has become a high-speed shortcut for those looking to transfer from the Hutchinson River Parkway to I-95.”
“After meeting with the Department of Transportation and Commissioner Moran on site, we found a creative solution to the problem: additional signage and stripping of the road,” Klein continued. “I look forward to this work being completed by the spring.”
