January 18, 2018 SCARSDALE FORUM INC. Report of the Municipal Services Committee On The Scarsdale Forum Traffic Survey 1 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 4 THE SURVEY .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Design and Distribution ............................................................................................................................ 6 Limitations ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Demographics ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Survey Questions .................................................................................................................................... 10 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 21 Appendix I – Survey Comments .................................................................................................................. 36 Where do you park? ................................................................................................................................... 36 Appendix II – Survey Comments ................................................................................................................. 51 Challenges Picking Up Commuters at the Stations ..................................................................................... 51 Appendix III Survey Comments ................................................................................................................... 57 Parking Challenges in Scarsdale .................................................................................................................. 57 Appendix IV Survey Comments ................................................................................................................... 68 Where do Respondents Walk ..................................................................................................................... 68 Appendix V Survey Comments .................................................................................................................... 71 Challenges to Walkability in Scarsdale ........................................................................................................ 71 Appendix VI Survey Comments ................................................................................................................... 87 What Have You Observed Drivers Doing? .................................................................................................. 87 Appendix VII Survey Comments ................................................................................................................ 101 Bicycling Challenges in Scarsdale .............................................................................................................. 101 Appendix VIII Survey Comments ............................................................................................................... 112 Problems on Streets that Need to be Addressed ..................................................................................... 112 Appendix IX Survey Comments ................................................................................................................. 132 Tax Increases Not Favored to Fund Cost of Measures ............................................................................. 132 Appendix X Survey Comments .................................................................................................................. 143 Additional Comments on Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Driving Safety ............................................................ 143 2 January 18, 2018 THIS REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED UNDER EXPEDITIOUS TREATMENT PROCEDURE OF THE SCARSDALE FORUM INC. BY THE COMMITTEE WHOSE MEMBERS’ NAMES APPEAR BELOW. IT HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE FORUM FOR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IT HAS NEITHER BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE NOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOR SUBMITTED TO THE FORUM MEMBERS FOR THEIR APPROVAL. SCARSDALE FORUM INC. Report of the Municipal Services Committee On The Scarsdale Forum Traffic Survey The Municipal Services Committee (the “Committee”) proposes the following resolution for Adoption by The Forum: RESOLVED, that the Report of the Committee based on its community Traffic Survey, recommending that the Village of Scarsdale should (1) prioritize the implementation of traffic calming features, including but not limited to lowering speed limits on linear portions of certain north-south and east-west corridors as allowed by NYS law; (2) address among other issues gridlock and pedestrian crossing signal timing, add or repair barriers, signage and signaling arrows, and enforce U-turn prohibitions; (3) increase the number of sidewalks throughout Scarsdale where feasible, and repair and maintain existing sidewalks; (4) install new or improved crosswalks, signals and signage along the most troublesome roads and intersections cited by residents; (5) increase enforcement and/or traffic calming features to curtail drivers who exceed speed limits, drive through crosswalks where pedestrians have the right of way, make illegal turns through red signals, fail to stop at stop signs, double-park in the Village Center awaiting train pick up, etc., and (6) implement an ongoing education campaign and Safe Streets event days to address hazardous behaviors and encourage compliance with New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law regulations including speed limits, yielding to pedestrians and bicyclists, and road safety in general, and enlist the cooperation of the public consistent with these recommendations, be approved. 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Scarsdale Forum’s Municipal Services Committee designed, distributed, and analyzed this community Traffic Survey as an essential supplement to the Committee’s 2015 “Traffic Assessment, Safety and Improvement Report.”1 The 2015 Committee Report, annexed here as Exhibit A, covered in detail traffic, road and sidewalk safety problems in the Village Center. In the interim, the Village has made progress in the implementation of added signals, signage and enforcement in the Village Center. This follow up Survey polled the community’s perception of road and sidewalk hazards that continue to persist throughout the Village and that negatively affect their health, safety and quality of life. The Committee distributed the Survey from October 20-November 30, 2017 through numerous local and social media, Forum and personal distribution lists, and by advertising through Facebook. 706 respondents completed the survey. A little over 60% of the respondents were female, and 60% of all respondents were in the 35-44 and 45-54 year-old age brackets. 65% of all the respondents have children at home, and almost 24% are empty nesters. A significant majority of the respondents cited concerns with walking, driving, and cycling in Scarsdale. Seventy-five percent of the respondents cited that they had challenges when walking in Scarsdale. The main challenges were lack of sidewalks in numerous parts of Scarsdale, impediments to crossing roads due to unsafe or illegal motorist behaviors, poor quality of roads and sidewalks, and lack of lighting on streets. Almost 70% of the respondents drive through Scarsdale 6-7 days a week, and 90% of all drivers park somewhere in Scarsdale, particularly in the Village Center and near Scarsdale schools. 55% of all respondents stated that they face difficulties when trying to find parking or attempting to drive away from their parking spots. Over 70% of the respondents stated that they have observed motorists speaking on a hand-held phone while driving. Drivers who exhibit unsafe practices at intersections are also quite frequently observed. Drivers who drive through a 1 The “2015 Committee Report.” www.ScarsdaleForum.com/reports. (Go to Reports/All Reports/folder for Municipal Services Committee/Report of the MSC on Traffic Assessment, Safety and Improvement in the Village of Scarsdale 2015-11-19/Download .pdf Report #560) The 2015 Report was first distributed publicly on October 28, 2015. Exhibit A pagination and footnotes are contiguous with those in this document, not original document. 4 crosswalk where waiting pedestrians have the right of way to cross first was often cited by respondents. 52% of the respondents stated that they do not bicycle in Scarsdale. Almost 50% of respondents indicate that there is at least one person in their household who uses a bicycle in Scarsdale. More than half of this group would favor bike lanes in Scarsdale. Almost 10% of those who stated they do not have a Scarsdale cyclist in the household cite a lack of safety for cyclists on Scarsdale roads as the reason. Hence, over half of Scarsdale households might be using bicycles if safety issues were addressed. Survey data show that about two-thirds of respondents were against taxes to improve traffic safety. Women were slightly more opposed than men and support for raising taxes tended to decline somewhat with increasing age. Some respondents suggested that addressing the issues might eventually