Bronxville Route 22 Mid-Block Crosswalk Project Safety Concerns

October 12, 2024

Dear Members of the Bronxville Community,

On September 27, our state senator Shelley Mayer penned a letter to My Hometown Bronxville advocating the installation of a crosswalk across White Plains Road (Route 22) at the intersection of Elm Rock Road. Echoing comments she made at a September 7 special meeting of the Village Board of Trustees to discuss the proposal, Ms. Mayer surmised that the proposed crosswalk would “provide a safe alternative” to the current crossing situation.

It wouldn’t. And for a self-proclaimed “strong supporter” of safe ways for children to walk to school, this advocacy is troubling. Most importantly, it utterly ignores the evidence and the sound guidance of Bronxville’s longstanding and well-regarded Chief of Police, Christopher Satriale, who pointed out at the same September 7 meeting that there had been “zero pedestrian accidents thankfully on White Plains Road” during his 35-year tenure. As he forcefully stated, the installation of an “uncontrolled” crosswalk across White Plains Road at Elm Rock — where no stoplight has ever existed or would be installed — would create a false sense of security that would reduce pedestrian safety, particularly for children:

• “I am very concerned that it’s a safety issue putting a crosswalk mid-block up on White Plains Road.”
• “Motorists that we see ignoring . . . pedestrians in crosswalks will not expect a pedestrian to be there or will blatantly just ignore the pedestrian being there.”
• “I’m concerned in putting a crosswalk in . . . that a pedestrian — a child more importantly — will feel too secure in pushing a button and stepping out into traffic.”
• “I have a bad feeling about a child walking up, pushing the button, and expecting cars to stop, and stepping out and not being as careful as they should be. . . And that has me very worried over the past now three years in discussing this [proposal].”
• “My site visits there have shown that . . . there are ample gaps in traffic that you can cross safely without a crosswalk.”
• “I — personally, professionally, 35 years — I feel the safest way if you are going to cross White Plains Road [between Paddington and Woodland] is to wait for a gap in traffic.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13n1hPWXTLQ (20:00 – 37:00)

What’s more, the consultant engaged to estimate potential pedestrian use of such a crosswalk shared Chief Satriale’s concerns, stating at the meeting: “I understand the Chief’s point. It makes complete sense.” Although the consultant concluded that potential pedestrian use might meet national minimum thresholds — though arguably not New York State thresholds — for installation of a crosswalk, he stated that for such a crosswalk the Village could expect a mere 75% compliance by motorists, meaning that fully 25% of drivers would not stop for a pedestrian in the proposed crosswalk.

Moreover, in a statement that should send shivers down the spine of anyone expecting the crosswalk to provide safe crossing, he noted: “And the fewer people that cross, the compliance drops precipitously. It goes to like 40%.” Meaning that at lower pedestrian volumes than surveyed, a majority of drivers would not stop for a pedestrian in the proposed crosswalk. And because the dates of survey data collection were publicly known in advance and took place on the most mild and pleasant days of the school year in late May and early June, the likelihood is that pedestrian use of such a crosswalk on any given day of the year would in fact be significantly lower than the consultant estimated and therefore be significantly more dangerous.

Apart from reducing pedestrian safety, the proposed crosswalk project at Elm Rock raises serious environmental concerns. The project includes the installation of new sidewalks along the east side of White Plains Road between Paddington and Dusenberry, and between Dusenberry and South (which had next to no pedestrian traffic even on the survey days). Given the significant flooding that regularly occurs, most recently on September 29, along White Plains Road and Dusenberry and other streets near the proposed sidewalks — not to mention throughout the Village as a whole — the installation of thousands of square feet of concrete or other non-absorbent material alongside White Plains Road to replace grass, dirt, and trees is particularly ill advised.

This project has turned into a political football, with politicians advocating for it not based on its merits but in an apparent effort to score political points and win votes, notwithstanding the increased risk to pedestrians and the environmental harm the project would cause. This advocacy also overlooks the high cost to Village taxpayers of a limited-use crosswalk (and disconnected sidewalks) far from the Village center, and it ignores the opposition of the residents who live nearest by.

Residents of the Village genuinely interested in pedestrian safety and walkability, particularly those who live east of White Plains Road, would be better served instead by the installation of crosswalks across White Plains Road at Pondfield and at Tanglewylde. These four-way intersections are “controlled” with stoplights, yet inexplicably lack crosswalks. The Village Board has said just wait, these long-delayed other crosswalks are coming in the future. But that response misses the point. The Village should install safe pedestrian crosswalks at these intersections first — and encourage their use — before even considering and rushing through a third, unsafe and unnecessary, crosswalk across White Plains Road.

Sincerely,

Bronxville Citizens for Responsible Development