Accident #31: Second accident of day

Here is the second accident of this Leap Year Day at the usual t-bone site. This picture was taken at 6 p.m., Friday, February 29, 2008.

Accident #30: Three-Car Pile-Up, Fri.,Leap Year Day, 3 p.m.

Chinese scholars propose use of traffic lights for highway entrance ramps

Highway ramp control via fuzzy logic Shing-Fei Lee You-Wei Teng Wen-June Wang Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nat. Central Univ., Chung-Li; This paper appears in: Fuzzy Systems, 2000. FUZZ IEEE 2000. The Ninth IEEE International Conference on Publication Date: 7-10 May 2000 Volume: 1, On page(s): 274-278 vol.1 Meeting Date: 05/07/2000 - 05/10/2000 Location: San Antonio, TX, USA ISBN: 0-7803-5877-5 References Cited: 15 INSPEC Accession Number: 6622913 Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/FUZZY.2000.838671 Posted online: 2002-08-06 23:07:08.0

Abstract Utilizes the fuzzy control concept to design a highway on-ramp control (HORC) such that the traffic light in the on-ramp works well to maintain the smoothness of the traffic flow on the highway. The HORC includes a fuzzy decision base (FDB) to estimate the probability of the light change and a decision function to decide the change making of the light. In this HORC, we only need one sensor to measure the speed and the speed change rate of the vehicles on the highway. Our simulation shows that the HORC has a good performance

Accident # 29: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Another accident at the t-bone. Reminder: I can only report accidents that my wife or I see, so there are obviously quite a few that go unreported on this blog.

I wasn't home for today's incident, so I give my wife Rita's report. She does not use the SLR, so there is no picture. Here is her report:

12:35 p.m. Feb. 27, '08
red car bumps into gray station wagon waiting to get on BQE; both pull over, check damage to rear. red car makes a call; g.s.w. keeps checking through hatchback (people inside ?), kicks back of car several times, closes back.
12:56 police car appears, drives away ..
1:03 another p0l. car appears, drives away
1:16 tow truck arrives, parks in "triangle"
1:17 2 police cars, one leaves.

Saturday, Feb. 23., 2008, 5:15 p.m.

Accident #28 since Aug. 23, 2007 at this spot. When, oh when my Lord, will the powers that be take action ?

The Brooklyn Paper Covers the T-Bone

This week's Brooklyn Paper is covering our t-bone. It's worse than even I thought ! Do read this article.

Traffic Lights Can Save Lives

Photo by Kirst0714

As other jurisdictions have learned, traffic lights on the highway can save lives. If it's too expensive to provide a proper acceleration ramp, it's always possible to provide safe access through the use of traffic lights.

The State Bureaucracy: Our Ramp Doesn't Measure Up

Governor Eliot Spitzer

Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn, NYS Department of Transportation

Douglas A. Currey, Regional Director, NYSDOT

The State bureaucracy has spoken: the t-bone entrance is "below current standards." But the State also feels that to improve the lane "would require major capital work," which "is not feasible." On the other hand, some minor steps are being taken. In my view, these are no more than cosmetic.

The State position was outlined in a January 29 letter by Douglas Currey, Regional Director of the State's Department of Transportation, to Craig Hammerman, District Manager of Community Board Six. Hammerman had previously written to DOT to express concern over the safety issues posed by the notorious t-bone entrance to the BQE near Congress Street.

Here is the text of Currey's letter:

This is in response to your recent letter regarding safety concerns at the entrance ramp from Congress Street to the westboud Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

My staff has investigated the conditions at this ramp, including a review of the accident history, and determined that the acceleration lane for entering traffic is below current standards. To improve the acceleration lane would require major captial work on the Congress Street overpass, which we feel at this time is not feasible. As such, we have recently implemented several other measures to enhance safety at this location. For example, we have installed a curve warning sign with an advisory speed limit sign on the mainline at the ramp. We have also installed solid white barrier lines between the travel lanes to discourage lane changing on the mainline, so that more gaps in the mainline flow of the right lane can occur. In addition, we are evaluating the installation of a ramp metering system for this location so that we can regulate the pace at which vehicles enter the mainline flow.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

I do understand the problem the State has: many of its highways have severe safety flaws, and not all of these can be corrected all at once. (For instance, I have noticed some very dangerous t-bone entrances to the FDR Drive in Manhattan). Here are my suggestions:

1. The public needs to know the extent of the problem at the various locations that have been implicated in the numerous accidents. I have requested such comparative data in my FOIL request, but this request remains unfulfilled. Mr. Currey says that he has reviewed the accident history here at this t-bone, but he does not disclose what his review has revealed.

2. If there is no money to fix the most dangerous conditions, the really bad ramps should be closed. If, for example, the bad t-bone here at Congress Street were closed, the inconvenience to the public would be minimal; there are a number of safer entrances to the BQE within minutes of this one. I personally never use this entrance; I find alternate routes without trouble.

One more ! 27th accident since August 23, 2007

Tuesday, February 5, 2008, about 8:45 p.m. Same spot: the on-ramp of the BQE, Congress Street entrance.

More of the same

Thursday, Jan. 31, 9:15 p.m. Picture shows scene under the Congress Street bridge, a few feet west of the t-bone entrance point.

This one is on the off-ramp

Monday, January 28, 2008, about 1:30 p.m. This accident is on the off-ramp. These accidents are less frequent than the others, but they do occur, apparently because the off-ramp, like the on-ramp, has an improper design. Where the on-ramp lacks a provision for acceleration (a deadly fault), the off-ramp lacks proper deceleration. Maybe in the time of Robert Moses this was considered acceptable, given the relatively sparse traffic at the time. But this is 2008, Mr. Governor ! Poor old Bob Moses is long dead, as is, or should be, his careless attitude toward safety engineering.

How long, O Lord !

The New York City Police Department promised to have information about my FOIL request by January 5. January 5 has come and gone !

When Will They Ever Learn ....

to eliminate this death trap ? Friday, January 18, 2008, 10:15 p.m., same spot, on-ramp, BQE west-bound, Congress Street, Brooklyn.

Major Accident -- Tues.,Jan. 8, 2008

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, 4 p.m. Judging by the number and type of emergency vehicles, this is a major accident, at the on-ramp, same old place.

This time it's the off-ramp

Friday, December 28, 2007, about 10 a.m. This time it's the off-ramp on the same location. It's a major accident, an overturned cement truck. Obviously both off and on ramps need rebuilding. My posting of Sept. 17, 2007 ("It Can Be Done !") gave one idea of how to do it.

One more: Saturday, December 22, 9:15 p.m.

This is the second accident THAT I HAVE SEEN on this spot on this day. Obviously, those that I see can only be a fraction of those that occur.

Saturday, December 22, 2007, 9:45 a.m.

Accident at same spot !

Middle of the Night

Thursday, December 20, 2007, about 3:30 a.m. Same spot, new accident.

Tuesday, December 11, 2 p.m.

Another collision accident at the t-bone entrance. I must point out, again, that I do not monitor this spot 24-7. The accidents that I can document are obviously only a fraction of all those that occur here.

I recently took a cab drive to Manhattan and chatted with the driver about the t-bone. He told me that the frequency of accidents at this spot is notorious in the profession.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

About 8:30 a.m. While I was away, my wife (not qualified on Nikon SLR) observed the following accident scene at the t-bone: a stalled passenger car, a tow truck behind it, soon followed by a police car.

Thursday, November 15, 2007, 8:30 a.m.

Here, once again !

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Depressingly familiar. Another accident at T-Bone. This one on Thursday, November 8, 2007, about 10 p.m.

Today's Accident -- Monday, Nov.5,2007, ab. 9:30 a.m.

Second Incident of Day

Friday, November 2, 2007, about 4 p.m. Here is the second incident for the day, same t-bone entrance of BQE. How many of these accidents happen per day ? I don't know, I can only report those I happen to spot. And the authorities have not, so far, responded to my requests for an accounting. Not a good situation.

Ambulance, Police, Distraught Motorist

Friday, November 2, 2007, 9 - 10 a.m. The ambulance shows that this was no mere fender bender. Once again there is suffering, and expense to the tax payer. This would not have happened on a properly designed entrance ramp !

Another mishap at the T-Bone

Wednesday, October 24, 2007, about 12:15 p.m. That semi-trailer on the left, marked "tex", is stuck. Was it hit by someone at the T-Bone, did it just happen to run out of gas right there ? It wouldn't be right there, with another semi trying to get around it, if there were a proper acceleration ramp.

Suing the State for Dangerous Highway Condition

The State of New York has a special court, the Court of Claims, that has jurisdiction for such cases. See, for example, the case of Bauer v. State of New York (2006).

The bottom line, of course, is that the taxpayer pays, as he always does, for the negligence of the officialdom. How much have Court of Claims highway decisions cost the public ? How much has been paid by the State in out-of-court settlements ? And how much, specifically, has the T-Bone of Congress Street cost the public -- quite aside from the cost in human suffering ? These are some of the questions that I hope to explore in future postings.

ANOTHER accident: Thurs.,10/18/07, 11 p.m.

Well, here we go again. Another accident, Thurs., 10/18/07, about 11 p.m. And don't forget, I only photograph the ones I happen to see.

These constant accidents constitute notice, "constructive notice" as the lawyers say, that this is not a safe entrance to the highway !

Governments like to hide data on traffic deaths

It seems that the NYCPD and the state's DOT are not alone in foot dragging when it comes to revealing traffic accidents and traffic deaths. Here is an eye-opening story from the Honolulu Advertiser.

Mr. Bloomberg comes through -- sort of

photo by Andy Carvin

Dear Mr. Mayor,

It's probably just a coincidence. But hours after I wrote to you last, the Police Department has recognized my FOIL application.

Out of three possible cheers, the city deserves at least one for this spurt of activity. At least one, but not quite two, and certainly not three, and here's why:

1) The NYPD letter is dated 9/28/07 but was received by me only yesterday, 10/15/07. It was stamped by a Pitney Bowes machine that does not give mailing date.

2) The letter maintains that my FOIL request was received 9/5/07 while the USPS reports delivery on 8/22/07.

3) The letter states that because of press of other work, etc., "it is anticipated that your request will require more than twenty days." How much longer ? "It is anticipated that a determination will be reached on 1/5/07." That's the date on which the Department will decide on whether to supply the information. And on what date will that take place, exactly ? One, five, zero SEVEN ? Yes, that's what is says.

Well, I don't know. Does all this add up to efficiency ?

In the meantime, Mr. Mayor, there are constant accidents here. As I never tire of saying, the spot is one where fatalities are just waiting to happen.

Respectfully yours

Werner Cohn

Second accident within the hour

Tuesday, October 16, about 3:55 p.m. Less than an hour after the last accident, the school bus (not shown in this view) still awaiting removal, and here is yet another accident. Not a trivial one either; you can see the ambulance. IMHO: Whatever it may cost to fix this t-bone, it would be less than the cost -- in money and human suffering -- of these round-the-clock accidents.

I should point out that I cannot possibly document all the accidents that occur. I look out of the window from time to time, and when I see an accident I photograph it. But I am not a 24/7 surveillance camera. So obviously, what you see on this blog can only be a fraction of what goes on down below in the eye of the t-bone.

Tuesday, Oct. 16 -- another incident

a


This incident occurred at about 4 p.m., today, Tuesday, October 16, 2007. Some spot, same t-bone problem. This incident involved a school bus loaded with children.

Still another accident, Sun., Oct. 14, 2007

Sunday, October 14, about 9:30 p.m. Another one of those accidents at this t-bone entrance. This one was certainly more serious than a fender-bender. The affected car needed to be carted away.

Mr. Mayor, Sir, Why Not Obey the Law ?

Ruby Washington/The New York Times

Dear Mr. Mayor,

Nice picture of yourself here, don't you think ? And all those law enforcement officers applauding ! But there is a little matter that I need to bring to your attention about of law-abiding, or rather the opposite, on the part of the city.

I have this little blog called BQEWatch, in which I try to point attention to a dangerous entrance to the BQE. How do I know it's dangerous ? Well, to be perfectly honest, I cannot be sure that it's more dangerous than it should be (although I have documented quite a few accidents on it within a period of weeks). I don't know EXACTLY how many people have died at this spot, and I don't know its safety record in comparison with other, safer BQE entrances.

For this reason I have requested the New York Police Department, which is charged with patrolling this highway and with keeping records of accidents on it, to give me the relevant figures. I have made this request under the Freedom of Information Law, FOIL. You will find all the details of my request on my blog.

Well, to get back to obeying the law. FOIL requires a response within five days. My FOIL request, according to Post Office records, was delivered at 8:01 a.m. on Wednesday, August 22, 2007. Today it is October 15. I have not heard from the NYPD at all. Not a word. I phoned the relevant bureau one day and was told that the request is undoubtedly in the building somewhere, and that, no doubt, it will be found soon and properly taken care of. When I volunteered to send a duplicate request, I was told no no no, absolutely do not do that, it would duplicate and complicate matters no end.

So, Mr. Mayor, can you help out on this ?

Many thanks.

Werner Cohn

N.B. The version of this letter submitted to the Mayor had to be somewhat shortened because the Mayor's e-mail arrangement limits messages to 300 words.

Ten worst highway junctions in the world

The British publication Auto Express has an interesting story, with pictures, concerning the ten worst auto junctions in the world. Apparently our t-bone thing on the BQE ranks eleven or so, and for that reason it's not mentioned in this article. But good reading for anyone interested in Death on the BQ Express !

Police Department not responding to FOIL request

To understand just how dangerous the BQE t-bone is at Congress Street, we need to know the frequency of accidents and fatalities at that site, in comparison with sites that have relatively safe ramps. The NYPD, charged with policing the road, has this information. And I requested it, as the readers of this blog know, in August, in accordance with FOIL, the New York State Freedom of Information Law. The Post Office has confirmed delivery to the NYPD on August 22, 2007.

Under the law, the NYPD is required to respond within five days to FOIL requests. Today it is October 1, and I have had no response, despite my phone calls and other follow-ups.

The police department is organized to enforce the law and, obviously, to obey it. But it seems to have a little trouble doing so, at least in this instance.

I might add that I sent an identical FOIL request to the State's Department of Transportation (DOT), which is in charge of the highway, on September 5. I have not heard from this agency either. Could it be that the FOIL function in these agencies is underfunded ? If they had more personnel assigned to this work, perhaps they could at least refuse the information in a timely manner.

Here are the relevant portions of FOIL

3. (a) Each entity subject to the provisions of this article, within five business days of the receipt of a written request for a record reasonably described, shall make such record available to the person requesting it, deny such request in writing or furnish a written acknowledgment of the receipt of such request and a statement of the approximate date, which shall be reasonable under the circumstances of the request, when such request will be granted or denied, including, where appropriate, a statement that access to the record will be determined in accordance with subdivision five of this section. If an agency determines to grant a request in whole or in part, and if circumstances prevent disclosure to the person requesting the record or records within twenty business days from the date of the acknowledgement of the receipt of the request, the agency shall state, in writing, both the reason for the inability to grant the request within twenty business days and a date certain within a reasonable period, depending on the circumstances, when the request will be granted in whole or in part. Upon payment of, or offer to pay, the fee prescribed therefor, the entity shall provide a copy of such record and certify to the correctness of such copy if so requested, or as the case may be, shall certify that it does not have possession of such record or that such record cannot be found after diligent search. Nothing in this article shall be construed to require any entity to prepare any record not possessed or maintained by such entity except the records specified in subdivision three of section eighty-seven and subdivision three of section eighty-eight.
(b) All entities shall, provided such entity has reasonable means available, accept requests for records submitted in the form of electronic mail and shall respond to such requests by electronic mail, using forms, to the extent practicable, consistent with the form or forms developed by the committee on open government pursuant to subdivision one of this section and provided that the written requests do not seek a response in some other form.

For the complete text of my FOIL request, please click here.

Nobody Stops at the Stop Sign -- A Video

The stop sign at the t-bone entrance is something no driver obeys. Why ? Because it would be dangerous to do so. This fact is a telling symptom of what's wrong with this t-bone. The basic wrong of course is the danger to life and limb. But an additional wrong -- perhaps of equal importance -- is that it promotes contempt for the law.



The video shows a number of drivers who simply ignore this sign. It is entirely typical of what happens at the spot all the time. The only time I have ever seen a driver stop at the sign is when there is a car stopped directly in front of him. In other words, during hours of observation, I have never seen a driver who stops because of the sign.

My lawyer friends tell me that in the common criminal law there was a defense of necessity. As I understand it, a person can invoke this defense if he violates the law because of necessity, i.e. when any other action would produce a greater harm. I cannot claim to know enough law here, so I don't know what the legal position of these drivers would be if they were charged. But it is telling that, as far as I can see, the police make no attempt to enforce this stop sign.

This video was made on Wednesday, September 19, 2007, from a spot in the play ground just behind the stop sign. It is the very first video I have ever made.

Another "event": 9/18/07

10 a.m., today, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 07: Another Bob Moses t-boner !

It Can Be Done !

A reader has submitted a sketch on how to provide an unimpeded acceleration ramp going west (south, actually) from the Congress Street entrance to the BQE.

The sketch (see below) proposes moving both the on ramp and the off ramp north, in order to provide the acceleration ramp, making one of the parks smaller and one larger. It provides better sight lines for cars entering the BQE. Some may argue that it reduces the length of the off ramp, but I think that’s less of a safety issue. It moves the intersection north on Columbia Street, but since it’s not a through intersection there is no reason not to, unless queing to Atlantic is a big issue. I think there may actually be a small net gain in park space, since the ramps are a bit shorter in the east-west direction.

If this proposal proves feasible, it would enable motorists to enter the BQE at this spot safely, for the first time. I think that if it can be carried out it will save lives. Mr. Governor, gentlemen and ladies of the DOT -- take a good look at this !

NYSDOT responds

With the kind help of Assemblywoman Joan Millman, I have obtained a response to my BQE concerns from The New York State Department of Transportation:

Traffic engineers for Region 11 of the New York State
Deparment of Transportation ( NYSDOT) reviewed accident data at the subject location and discussed the accident patterns at the location
with one of the police officers in the nearby precinct. Our engineers
recommend that the entrance ramp remain open, because closing the ramp will cause unnecessary hardship for the motorists. The affected
motorists will have to travel several miles thru the local streets with
traffic signals and several turns, some of which may be difficult for
trucks.

As you may know, there is no acceleration lane for the entering
motorists. Based on the accident data and the police officer's
recollection,the accidents are mainly caused by the entering motorists
misjudging the gaps between mainline vehicles in a down grade. The
entering vehicles stop abruptly after the STOP sign,thereby causing most of the rear end accidents. Also, the horizontal curve on the mainline, just before the entrance ramp, limits the sight distance for both the mainline and ramp motorists.

The following recomendations have been made for this location:
1. Install a Curve Warning sign with Advisory Speed Limit sign before
the mainline curve;
2. Restrict motorists to their lanes before the entrance ramp by
replacing the existing white broken lane markings with solid white
lines; so that the entering vehicle will concentrate on the right lane.
The solid lines will discourage lane changing before the entrance ramp.

( A work order has already been sent out for items 1 and 2).

3. We are also investigating the feasibility of installing ramp meter
at this location. We have done traffic counts at this location and are
currently evaluating the data.

This leaves the following problems:

A. DOT concedes accidents at this spot, and also concedes that there is no acceleration ramp. But DOT has not, as yet, furnished comparative accident and fatality figures that would allow us to evaluate just how much more dangerous this entrance ramp is when compared to others in the neighborhood. I have requested such data, from both DOT and the NYCPD, but have not had a response from either agency. (The complete text of my FOIL request is available through a link shown on this blog.)

B. DOT mentions no plans for long-term improvement. They do not seem to contemplate the construction of an acceleration ramp at any time in the future. Absent this indispensable feature, I maintain, this ramp should be closed to traffic.

C. DOT maintains that closing the ramp might prove inconvenient to motorists. Yes, no doubt about that. I personally avoid the ramp, spending an extra three minutes or so driving to the next entrance. In my view that inconvenience is small compared to the alternative. DOT's persistence in retaining the status quo (with only slight cosmetic changes) will result in fatalities, I believe. And no, it will be no fun to say "I told you so."

Robert Moses Strikes on Sunday

It's Sunday, September 9, 2007, 1 p.m., here again, at the t-bone west-bound entrance to the BQE near Congress Street. Robert Moses, bless his soul, strikes again. This time it appears to be a "mere" fender bender. But, as a morbid person may aptly put it, the spot is a fatality waiting to happen.

Trouble on Labor Day

Is it yet another accident, or did the police just happen to spring into action for some other reason at this very same trouble spot ? Either way, here we are again, at the junction of the BQE and its westward on-ramp near Congress Street, Brooklyn. This picture was taken at 11:05 a.m., Monday, September 3, 2007.

Again !

This picture was taken today, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at 5:15 p.m. Yet another accident at this same spot, the BQE on-ramp (going west) near Congress Street. This spot is obviously a fatality waiting to happen. It's not safe. The ramp should be closed to all traffic pending the construction of a proper acceleration lane for entrance to the highway. To paraphrase old Ronnie: Mr. Governor, close that death trap !

Robert Moses strikes again ?

Here again, on that very same spot -- the on-ramp to the BQE near Congress Street -- is the scene as of 1:15 p.m., Wednesday, August 29, 2007.

As the faithful reader of this blog will know, I have requested the NYPD to furnish accident and mortality figures for this spot. So far no answer. But of course it hasn't been long since this request was filed. So, as old Al Pope would have put it, hope springs eternal that the information is forthcoming.

Accident at the very spot

This photo was taken at 1:30 a.m., Thursday, August 23, 2007. [The time stamp assigned to this posting is off by a few hours]