Hey, there! Log in / Register
Hula trees sprout along VFW Parkway
By adamg on Tue, 04/04/2023 - 9:22am
Trees along VFW Parkway on either side of South Street at the West Roxbury/Brookline line are currently wrapped in protective wooden slats as a contractor hired by DCR gets ready to revamp the intersection with new left-turn lanes on the parkway and traffic signals.
No trees will taken out; DCR had initially considered carving the new left-turn lanes out of the medians, but ultimately decided to turn one parkway travel lane for the turning lanes.
DCR says the lanes should end the intersection's long history of left-turn crashes through new signals that will give people making left turns a dedicated arrow signal, as is done at other intersections along that stretch of the parkway. Pedestrians will also get working button-activated crossing signals.
DCR estimates the $1.2-million project will run through May, 2024.
DCR engineers explain the project:
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
I’d charge a lot less
That’s an incredible amount of time and money to paint two left turn arrows. Nice job, DCR.
It's more than just painting some lines, though
The new signals need to be installed - along with new controllers and underground conduits to connect them, there's a bit of re-alignment going on with curbs and the whole intersection will be repaved before it's restriped. But really, new traffic signals are not cheap.
So bid on the contract
If you think you can do it cheaper, bid on the contract and good luck swimming in all that excess profit you're going to get.
...Wait?
...You're not bidding? Why not? Is it because you really don't understand what is involved and can't project the costs accurately? Oh, imagine that!
It's fine as it is. Nobody
It's fine as it is. Nobody pays attention to markings anyway.
guy on a motorcycle was killed there a few years ago...
people turning left on green can't see traffic coming at them because of those large trees there. Lot's of lefts there so not sure how many cars they are going to fit in that left lane.
Yes, he was a coworker of mine
I already steer clear of VFW Parkway since I'm a bicycle commuter. The combination of highway speeds and the way the bike lanes disappear at the intersections make it too dangerous.
There aren't any good alternatives for me in the area but they at least have lower speed traffic than the parkway.
Still better than Centre Street
I agree, VFW is not great for bike riders, but it is definitely not the worst bike option in West Roxbury.
I commute on Centre and Spring
I'm sticking with Centre as less dangerous than VFW. I definitely wouldn't recommend Centre and I've been hit from behind in stopped traffic there. But I've been using Centre for over a dozen years and know it well. If I got hit at VFW Parkway speeds I would no longer be among the living. I don't like riding where I can't take the lane safely or have space between me and the curb at intersections.
Really only changes the outbound VFW?
Traveling on the VFW towards the city, the light to turn left at South Street currently DOES offer a left arrow. It sounds like only the outbound VFW, turning left onto Church St, will be materially changed. Is that accurate?
Streetview agrees with you
n/t
It is a long meeting over one intersection....
I watched some of Adam's link.
But no, from what I gathered there will be two dedicated left turn lanes. The problem there (which they seem to get into) is that the green arrow (inbound) starts the cycle but then goes away forcing cars to take that left when it is safe (or unsafe) with a green light but no arrow. This is what leads to crashes. They also talk about how drivers naturally take that left in a manner that it was not designed for and so they go into how they will be putting in marked lanes.
Left Turn lane today, Bike Lane Tomorrow
I'm surprised the Mayor has not taken one full lane of the two on the Parkway for a dedicated bike lane. I'm sure it is in the works.
Don't think the Mayor can tell DCR what to do...
And no, one lane would never work on that street. Maybe a nice paved path up the middle?
And while we’re at it
The intersection is in Brookline.
Mixed Use Path in the Median!
I have long thought the VFW median would be a perfect location for a wide, mixed used, paved path. There is definitely room between the trees, and nobody uses the "park" as it is currently configured. As Angry Dan mentions up thread, the current curbside lanes disappear at most intersections in order to make room for left turn lanes. Let's get rid of the lanes, put in turning lanes everywhere, and turn the median in to a useful recreational and travel space for bikes and joggers. Win-win-win. It makes too much sense.
No worries
The city won't fix Centre Street so I would expect the rest of the West Roxbury NIMBYdom will remain safe from any cycling or pedestrian improvements.
This is being done solely for the benefit of motorists.
Rotary next
Can we fix that green light-but-you-still-have-to-yield-to-traffic-in-the-rotary intersection next? It’s a block inbound from there.
Protection from what?
Protection from what?
safety
Would make the parkway a lot safer if they enforced the no commercial vehicle ordinance.
You know the same one they don’t bother to enforce on the Jamaicaway, Riverway or Storrow