Third Street development, and traffic

So, traffic is always crazy on 3rd and Sloan during the evening rush, especially after the trains form NYC roll through (This I think is partly due the the unreasonably short green for those trying to drive on Third at Valley, and the inability to pass to the right when cars want to turn left.) At 6 pm, for example, traffic is often backed up from Valley, past the train overpass. I can't imagine what the situation will be like when the new giant garage is operational, and people are trying to get out of the driveway that lets onto that intersection. Cars and busses trying to turn left from Sloan onto Third will have even less of a chance, with no right of way.
Oy! The nightmare!

PLEASE TELL ME A TRAFFIC LIGHT WILL BE INSTALLED to control 3rd/Sloan traffic! Who'd be in charge of this, by the way? It's a town intersection, yes? or is 3rd a county road? (And then while we're at it, we can put a light at 3rd and Ridgewood Road!)

I wonder how you could put a light at sloan & 3rd, it being right at the two train trestles. How would cars coming from ridgewood see the light?

The traffic going in the other direction on 3rd up to ridgewood is no better. Truing to turn left on to Ridgewood is a shyt storm.

I agree something needs to be done. The traffic is already bad and it will only get worse when the new development opens.

While we're asking for new traffic lights... A left turn signal from Ridgewood onto SO Ave would really help too. That line of cars really backs up, especially in the morning, because there's a steady stream of traffic going straight on Ridgewood. Likely at night too but I'm not coming that way.

I'm not sure what benefit a light at 3rd and Sloan would add. The problem is traffic backed up on 3rd from the light at Valley, and much of this is due to the construction. When the construction is done, a left turn lane at 3rd and Valley would probably eliminate a lot of that problem. In the mean time, a longer light cycle at 3rd and Valley for the 3rd St side might help. 3rd and Ridgewood might benefit from a light. Not sure if there have been any traffic studies on that.

If someone has the patience to scroll through the videos of Planning Board meetings, there were some pretty long discussions related to traffic impact at the 3rd and Valley intersection. I don't remember the exact resolution but I think that there was to be a follow up discussion with the County. Sadly, hardly any community residents showed up at the meetings related to the project to voice their concerns.

The traffic around the evening rush got noticeably better when they got rid of that lot where the green apartment building is going. I go through there every single day during that time period. I also believe that when the building and the new parking garage go fully operational that the traffic might back up from Ridgewood to Valley going both directions. I wonder if they could put a light in on Ridgewood and 3rd?

I live right near the corner of 3rd and Ridgewood, my 10 year old will be crossing that street to get to SOMS next fall and I for one would be glad to see a light installed. I think it could also help with the speed some cars get up to through here - though there is always speeding to beat the light. I regularly see tire marks in the dirt well over the curb on the turn from Ridgewood down 3rd. I dont know if that would be helped by installing a light, but crossing there as a pedestrian can be pretty stressful sometimes even as an adult.

The idea of a light at Ridgewood and Third has been discussed for 30 years, at least. I think it's inevitable, but it will create a lot of tlraffic problems on Ridgewood, especially between South Orange Avenue and Third St.

I've been avoiding Third St for a while now, walking up Second St to go home even.

While I am not sure that it would help/hurt, the way to get around people coming from Ridgewood seeing a light at Sloan and Third, is to put it on both the west and east sides of the trestle.

Rob_Sandow said:

I'm not sure what benefit a light at 3rd and Sloan would add. The problem is traffic backed up on 3rd from the light at Valley, and much of this is due to the construction. When the construction is done, a left turn lane at 3rd and Valley would probably eliminate a lot of that problem. In the mean time, a longer light cycle at 3rd and Valley for the 3rd St side might help. 3rd and Ridgewood might benefit from a light. Not sure if there have been any traffic studies on that.

Is there going to be room to add an extra lane? It seems to me that carving out that space before construction began would have been helpful.

judy3x said:

The traffic going in the other direction on 3rd up to ridgewood is no better. Truing to turn left on to Ridgewood is a shyt storm.

That's why I wrote there should be a light there. Or a three way stop sign.

Rob_Sandow said:

I'm not sure what benefit a light at 3rd and Sloan would add. The problem is traffic backed up on 3rd from the light at Valley, and much of this is due to the construction. When the construction is done, a left turn lane at 3rd and Valley would probably eliminate a lot of that problem.

Yes, I agree that the Valley is the great clogger now, and will continue to be a problem.

While it would not necessarily benefit through traffic going towards Valley from the train tracks, it would help left turners. Imagine trying to get out of the lot and trying to turn left! Not gonna happen very easily. That said, controlling the flow often controls the bottlenecks, I think. And, the pedestrians would be controlled then as well.