Friday, September 26, 2008

Suicide Lane Challange

I am offering a suggestion to anyone who doesn’t understand why residents who live around the suicide lanes dislike them so much. Take the “Suicide Lane Challenge”!

In order to play, you will need to use your imagination, and visualize yourself running a few basic errands on your way home from work, but imagine that you live in any neighborhood between McDowell and Dunlap off of 7th Ave or 7th Street. Picture yourself leaving work at 4:30, getting in your car and heading off to buy stamps, purchase a birthday gift, and pick-up groceries in central Phoenix. First you would head to the post office to buy stamps, then you would drive to Spectrum Mall or Target to buy a birthday gift, next you would head to a grocery store to pick up groceries for dinner, and finally you would drive to your chosen neighborhood.

Now on your path, count how many cars you saw trying to turn at the main intersections illegally. Also count how many cars going against traffic were trying to turn east mid intersection, and had to stop traffic flow, backing up cars behind them waiting for them to turn.

Which neighborhood did you cut through in order to get to Spectrum Mall? Did you pick that neighborhood street to cut through solely because it was the only chance traffic would allow? Did you speed through the neighborhood? How did I know that you cut-through a neighborhood? Because that was your ONLY option. Did you pick the grocery store solely because what side of the street you were on, or have you already com to the conclusion that it really isn’t worth the trouble to patronize these businesses at all?

Think about your new quality of life, now that you have moved to central Phoenix. Is running errands a pleasurable experience? Think about your state of mind because of the number of people who were irritated at you for turning where you chose? Did they throw you the finger? Did they honk? Did they almost ram into your car?

Through this challenge, were you:

A. Tempted to pick a grocery store not on 7th Ave or 7th St?

B. Wait until after suicide lane hours to run your errands (remember what time the post office closes)?

C. Reschedule your life around this lane? D. Buy a gift at the grocery store instead? (Nice gift!)

Is all this hassle for a central-Phoenix resident worth the extra 10 minutes or so it’s going to take a north-Phoenix commuter to drive? Can the small percentage of north-Phoenix residents who commute to downtown not take the extra ten minutes so that ALL of the 114,000 central-Phoenix residents can have a turn lane and be able to turn at major intersections?

I ask that before you make a decision to keep the suicide lanes, that you take the “Suicide Lane Challenge” so that you understand where most of the residents come from. And realize how this important City Council vote will affect the central Phoenix residents’ quality of life.

Disclaimer: When doing the challenge, make sure you are wearing your seatbelt is tight, you use the rearview mirror often, and be very careful.

Source: Teresa Stickler, Carnation Resident and Melrose Pharmacy Owner

Thursday, September 25, 2008

ASU Traffic Study

What the ASU Traffic Study showed us...

The reverse lane study done by ASU showed us that there is major discontent with the reverse lanes. Only 10% of the people polled were satisfied with the lanes as they are. The study also pointed out that in cities where they have removed the lanes (such as Tucson), more people are satisfied with the roads, even if there is an increase in congestion. Returningthe lanes to normal flow is the most cost effective remedy to changing the lanes.

Source: Councilman Tom Simplot, District 4 News

A Message from the Councilman...

Many of our neighbors have already contacted me about their wishes to remove these lanes. I have been told stories of accidents, near misses, road rage, rampant cut-through traffic, and the hassles and lost time spent by central residents who have to avoid these roads intheir daily commute.

The facts are plain -- these lanes cause a lot of unnecessary hassles to our neighborhoods, all to provide a few minutes savings on the commute for others. I think we are all for efficient traffic regulation, but not at the expense of our neighborhoods.

Considerable time, efforts and resources have gone into revitalizing our city's core areas. These lanes are one of the last remaining vestiges of a time when the downtown was simply a place to go to work in the morning, and leave at night. Now, we have numerous cultural sporting and dining options, and a reason to stay or to godowntown in the evenings as well.

Getting rid of these lanes would further our goal of creating a vibrant and thriving downtown urban experience.

Source: Councilman Tom Simplot, District 4 News

Reverse Lane Update

For thirty years, the reverse lanes, or so called suicide lanes, have cut through our neighborhoods in an effort to speed traffic on its way to the northern suburbs of our city.

These lanes were put in place before we had the 51, and before the upgrades to the I-17 freeway.

Our neighborhoods have been fighting to remove these lanes for years. I am happy to say that we are making progress towards that goal, but still have a long way to go.

On October 7th, my colleagues and I will be holding a study session to discuss the future of these lanes, and whether they stay, go, or are in some way changed to make them work better.

Personally, I would like to see them go. They are a dangerous aspect of our area that encourage speeding, cause way too many accidents, cut our neighborhoods in half, and make it difficult for our businesses to thrive.

Some of my colleagues agree with me, and some do not. I encourage you to let them know just how you feel about these lanes, so that they may fully understand the impact they have on our central city and our quality of life in general.

Source: Councilman Tom Simplot, District 4 News

Route 582 N. Mountain Alert

Route 582 - North Mountain Express AM Inbound alert from 09/08/08 05:00 AM - 10/15/08 05:00 AM.

Regular route to 29th Ave. and Greenway Rd.

South on 29th Ave.

West on Country Gables Dr.

South on 30th Dr.

West on St. Moritz

South on 31st Ave.

Resume regular route at 31st Ave. and St. Moritz

Source: Valley Metro

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Welcome!

Are you interested in being a volunteer Transportation Blog roving reporter?

We encourage you to share your news and comments on this daily Blog. Feel free to use this news Blog to distribute information about unrepaired pot holes, warning signs, street and traffic lights in our neighborhood. Press releases about bus and light rail changes and development in our neighborhood are also encouraged. Email links are provided to submit content and must include your name, so we can include it into the Blog post.

You must at least 13 years of age.

Please include your name, so that we can cite you as the post's author.

Alton Jones
Chair, Phoenix Central Neighborhood Association