PTSA H&S Mobil Detailed Comments

PTSAHealth&SafetyCommitteeDetailedCommentsonMobilStation

ThePTSAHealth&SafetyCommitteeisengagedingettingmorechildrentowalkandbicycletoschoolaswellasaroundourVillagesafely.Recently,achangeofusehasbeenproposedattheintersectionofBroadwayandAshfordAvenuewhichhasraisedsomesafetyconcernswiththeCommittee.Thisisaverybusyintersectionforourchildrenwalkingandbicyclingonthesidewalksandstreetshoulderstoallthreeschools,andhasbeenareaofconcernfortheVillageformanyyears.Theproposedchangeofusewouldsignificantlyincreasevehicletrafficcrossingthesidewalksinthisintersection.Therewillbethreetypesofservicesofferedintheproposedchangeofuse:agasolinestationaconveniencestoreand,aDunkinDonuts.TheMobilapplication,confirmedbytheVillagestrafficengineer,expectsthissuccessfulapplicationtoleadtoadoublingofmotorvehiclesenteringandexitingthesiteduringpeaktraveltoschooltime.TheMobilsiteisasignificantwalkingandbicyclingroutetoallthreeDobbsFerrySchoolDistrictschools(agesK12),aswellasamajorcorridorfortransportationforallpurposesinourVillage.Recognizingthisimportance,theVillagesVisionPlan(foundontheVillagewebsite)specificallydiscusseschangestheVillagewantstoseehappeninMobilsvicinity,including:

Reducetrafficconflictsandfriction.Frictionreferstoallofthelittleturningmovements,pullinginandoutmovements,etc.thataggravatetrafficcongestionandcreatesafetyproblems.(Page84)Curbcuts(driveways)shouldbeminimizedandshared,whereverpossible.(Page84)Sidewalkoriented,groundfloorretailshouldbeencouragedalongAshfordAvenueandBroadwayfrontagesatthePerformanceAuto,Jackenthal,Mobil[bolditalicsadded]Getty,PowerTest,andStop&Shopsites.(Page83)providecrediblesolutionsfortrafficandpedestriansafety(Page83)

ThePTSAisconcernedthattheMobilapplicationdoesnotaddresstheVisionPlansdesiredoutcomeshere,forthefollowingreasons:DoublesVehiclesatMobil:UnderlyingourconcernsisthattheMobilwillnowhavethreeusesDonuts&Coffee,ConvenienceStore,andGasStationwhichwillatleastdoublethenumberofmotoristsandtheircarsenteringandleavingtheMobilsiteatthesametimechildrenaretravelingtoschool.Thecombinationofmorechildrenwalkingandbikingtoschool,andtheattractivenessofdonutsandotherproductsinthestore,willincreasethedangerousconflicts

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betweenmotoristsandchildren.Ofcourse,inanyconflictbetweenamotoristandachild,thechildalwaysrisksinjuryordeath.Drivewaysacrosssidewalksleadtomoreconflicts:Childrenwillhavetobeconstantlyalerttomotoristscrossingthesidewalk,whichunlikeonstreetcrosswalksinthevicinity,willnotbesupervisedbyaVillageemployedcrossingguard.EvenifMobilsAshfordexitwereclosed,theMobildrivewayalongBroadwayaloneforceschildrentocrossaverywidedistance.WhencombinedwiththeexistingDobbsDiner/Walgreensdriveway,childrenwillhavetocrossadangerouslywidedrivewaylikecrossing5carlanes.DistractedandHurriedMotorists:Mobilsmotoristcustomers,particularlyinthemorningrushhours,willbedistractedandhurried.EnteringandexitingtheMobilsite,motoristswillhavetomakequickjudgements.Imagineamotoriststhoughtprocessinjustonescenario:ComingsouthonBroadwaytomakealeftturnintoMobil,themotoristhastojudgeandactonmanyvariables:(1)arethereoncomingnorthboundmotorists?(2)childrenonthesidewalkheadedinbothdirections?(3)childrenonbicyclesontheshoulderofthewidecurblane?and,(4)istherespaceontheinteriorsideofthesidewalk,orisitblockedbycarslininguporjockeyingforagaspumporforaparkingspace?Sidewalksandshoulderblockedbyvehicles:Thesheervolumeofmotoristsexpectedwillleadtovehiclesblockingthesidewalk(pedestrian)andshoulder(bicycle)rightsofway.OnBroadway,themorningrushhouralreadyseeslongmotoristbackups.ThecrossingguardsonBroadway,atMapleAvenueandBeldenAvenue,justifiablyandappropriately,stopmotoristtoallowchildrentocrossBroadway.MotoristsexitingMobilontoBroadwaywillbeunabletoenterthetravellanefilledwithstoppedcars.Theywillblockboththesidewalkandshoulder.Onsite,childrenunprotected:UnlikesidewalkorientedgroundfloorretailproscribedintheVisionPlan(likeallshopsonCedarandMainStreets,aswellasWalgreens),Mobilwillrequirechildrentowalkthroughalotfilledwithmovingmotorists,includingmotoristsbackingupwithpoorsightlines.Onsite,therearenoraisedcurbsidewalksproposedintheapplicationexceptinfrontofthestoreitself.Theapplicationonlyhaspaintedareasonthepavementtodelineatepedestrianroutes.Withouttheseraisedcurbsidewalks(andraisedcrosswalks),thesechildrenwillbefacetofacewithagauntletofmotoristsjockeyingandbackingupforparkingspaces,gaspumps,andtogetinandoutofthelot.Oftenmotoristswillbeholdingcupsfilledwithhotcoffeeandotherproducts,andrushingtoreachtheirclasses,jobs,ortrains.Tomakeonsitepedestriannavigationsafer(althoughweareconcernedthatthesedonotaddressalltheconcerns),raisedcurbsidewalkscouldbeplaced:

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1.AlongthebackofthebuildingfacingWalgreensfromtheAshfordsidewalktotheboundarywithDobbsDiner(itwouldbearaisedcrosswalkinplaceswherevehiclesmustcross)2.AlongtheboundaryoftheDobbsDiner,connectingwithsidewalkin13.AlongthesideofthebuildingfacingAshfordAvenue4.AdiagonalraisedcrosswalkleadingfromthefrontentrancesidewalktothecornerofAshfordandBroadway.

TheDobbsFerryBoardofTrusteeswillmeetinVillageHallonTuesday,July14,2015at7:30PMtoapprovetheproposedMobilsiteplanchangeslistedbelow.Thisisanimportantmeetingtoattendifyouwishtospeakonthisissueandthesafetyconcernsitraisesforourchildren.Ifyoucannotmakethemeeting,pleasecontacttheMayor,DeputyMayor,andtheTrusteesbyphoneoremailatthislinkpriortoTuesdayevening: http://www.dobbsferry.com/government/villagephonedirectory.html

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