More on SLOW ZONE Speed Bumps

     Apparently the DOT has painted street markings at two of the three speed bumps that were placed on Independence Avenue between West 232nd and West 237th Streets. However as you will see in the photos below Dot has not put up a warning sign before the speed bumps, as there is only one sign that is marked "Speed Bump 15 MPH" as you hit the speed bump (in one photo you can see that the one warning sign has either bent over due to the wind or has been backed into by a parking car). Also one has to wonder at what speed these speed bumps can be taken at. In the presentation by the DOT Bronx commissioner she said that motorists can safely take these "Speed Humps" at 20 MPH as would be the speed limit in the area of the SLOW ZONE. The signs by the new speed bumps (humps) say 15 MPH, or do all of them. I found one bump on West 239th Street with signs of 20 MPH on them, and also with a sharp left turn sign on one below the speed bump sign. Another placement of one of these speed bumps is at the top of a hill on West 237th St. the side of RKA (141) where buses park to pick up students, and block any warning sign. Lastly as you will see in one photo that the speed bump on Independence Avenue right in front of RKA has already been damaged during the last plowing a few days ago.  More to come.

Left - You can see pavement markings by DOT now in place in front of two of the speed bumps on Independence Avenue by Seton Park.

Right - However you can see the one warning sign is bent over due to either the wind or being hit by a car backing into a space.

Left - there are no road markings at the speed bump in front of RKA (141), and you can see the damage that plowing from only one snowfall has done to the speed bump.

Right - You can barley make out the one speed bump sign on the right in between the trees on West 237th Street as you come up the hill. This view is of  the side of the street where school buses for RKA  park to load and unload students which will block the sign.

Left - A close up of the damage to the speed bump in front of RKA. It now seems that emergency vehicles are turning left at West 237th Street to the HHP service road rather than going over the three speed bumps on Independence Avenue.

Right - You can see how cars are parking on the speed bumps that go to within a foot of the curb.

Left - You see that this speed bump sign says 20 MPH here.
Right - You see the other side of the street also with the 20 MPH sign, but also note there is another sign  warning  that the road turns left ahead.

Third Speed Bump on Independence Avenue

     The third speed bump has been installed on Independence Avenue between West 237th Street and West 232nd Street, but will that make traffic any safer? One can see cars go up in the air and drop back down as in previous posts I told you that there is little or even sometimes can be no warning that the speed bump is ahead as the one warning sign at the site of the speed bump can be blocked by parked or standing buses or trucks. This third speed bump was placed in front of MS/HS 141 (RKA) and you will see in the photos below how it was installed. On the day afterward one could see not only cars, but a NYC ambulance become airborne and then drop back down to the street. I hope the person inside (as the emergency lights were on) did not hit their head on the top of the ambulance as it went over the speed bump. Then again one of the DOT workers may have said it best. "Once they go over the bump fast they will slow down". 

     

    Since Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz sponsored the Riverdale Slow Zone, city council candidate Cliff Stanton wants to take credit for the Slow Zone, and city council candidate Andrew Cohen has put on his face book page a photo of him raking the asphalt for one of the three new speed bumps on Independence Ave. (nine in all in the seven block slow zone), you now know who to blame when you have to repair you car. I still can't understand why two speed bumps are being placed on Palisade Ave. (no where near the schools), and not one is being placed on the HHP service road one block from the schools where over hundreds of children walk. Then again Assemblyman Dinowitz lives on the HHP service road less than two blocks from the schools. 

Left and Right - You can see the placement of the third speed bump on Independence Avenue. On the right you can see a tow truck that moved cars that were in the way without any warning to those who parked overnight.

 Left - You can see a light pole that needs to be fixed so at night motorist can see the upcoming speed bump. Right - You can see just how high the speed bumps are.