Driving in Batavia

I think the drivers of Batavia deserve a reprieve from stopping

I'll jump in on this one.
I caught three traffic lights in a row while driving down Main St. yesterday.
I would like to see something done to actually eliminate some of the lights. For example: Does there really need to be a light by Wilson Farms?
Does that much traffic really come off of Harvester that the drivers heading down Main St need to be stopped?
The traffic is something people have complained about ever since I can remember and I'm willing to bet it will be complained about for many years to come.
And one more driving complaint before I end this rant. The person that invented that S-curve thingie by TVCU/Tim Hortons/Wendy's must have been playing a joke on Batavia's city officials. Who looked at the plans for that thing and thought it was a good idea?

Yeah, the sheer amount of them is ridiculous.

It's downtown, not a the Thruway.

It's amazing, nobody has been hit on, the infamous ,S curve.I noticed, some lights, change so fast you don't have a chance to cross.The one at vine and main takes a loooong time, if you coming off vine.Its been that way, for years.

Brian, I will give you the s turn, conditions ripe for bad accident soon, it just blows my mind every time I use it.

Harvester Ave needs the light,if you worked at Graham Mfg or the Industrial center getting off of the street would be nearly impossible not to mention dangerious. The average speed on main street is aprox 40 mph and higher, this condition with a blind spot heading south would be and is dangerious. If anything at all, shorten the duration of the green light for main street traffic giving the people exiting harvester a break.

Yes me too, let's just have one big demolition derby:)
Let's pop up some stop signs.

Well as a matter of fact in that S curve thing by wendy's, Shane Peterson's(batavia Muckdogs)dad was hit by a car while walking from wendys. He is now in a leg brace with a broken fibula

I was just giving an example using Harvester. To be honest, I don't know if there is any solution to the problem. I would think somebody would have found one by now.
It is beyond frustrating though to drive down Main st and have to stop every two seconds and wait. I don't even use Main if I have to go from one end of town to the other. I can get there faster on the back roads.

1 more on the S-curve: Not only is it dangerous, but I have been flipped off or flipped off somebody else a million times since it was built. I'm a courteous driver for the most part but it seems like I have an issue half of the times I use it. It should be renamed the Bird curve for all the flipping going on.

I find the problem with lights on Main Street is that many are on timers and will turn red for Main Street drivers even if no one is waiting to pull out of the side street. Also, the way the timer seems to work, once you are caught at one red light, you can expect to get caught at another few.

I can remember when we could drive through town completely and call it a good day if only one or two lights were red.
PS: to Brian.....The bird curve..funny! I haven't had a frosty since they put it in. Shhhhh...Don't tell everyone about the backroads way. :)

The S curve was supposed to be a safe way to slow down traffic when they decided to allow Tim Hortons to build there. If I recall correctly, that was the reasoning along with allowing relief of traffic jams for Wendy's and Tim Horton drive thru flow ? I know that there was several accidents when they had people turning right on red next to the post office before Tim Hortons was there. They blammed it back then on the way Main st and Elicott split.

Also, try being a pedestrian needing to cross anwhere on Main st on Friday lunch or rush hour. Some vehicles dont stop on red they just go faster. With as much money that was spent beautifying our downtown I think the lights were timed to force drivers to have to stop and look at the buildings and businesses in hopes of attracting customers. Other people get sick of the lights so they use the side streets at high traffic times thinking they will get somewhere faster but recent changes are making it harder to do that once you are on Main st.
I feel the most danger in most of the parking lots all over Batavia wheather I am driving or walking.

Slow down, take a walk with your families. There is an entire world going by outside the window of your speeding cars. Look out for people and stop counting red lights.

AMEN

I second that :)

I like the S-curve

RAD

Road Attention Deficit

Human nature changes when people are driving their cars. Things you would never think of doing when you’re walking are the norm. Did you ever try to ride a bicycle in town before? You are taking your life in your hands. When you walk people pass you in their cars looking at you like your strange. Perhaps wondering why you’re not driving too. I wonder what this is doing to the next generation, the ones who can’t put their Gameboy down or leave their homes. While riding my bike with my family one day, another family was getting out of their car. We heard a little girl say in amazement, “Momma, why are they riding their bikes?” We are raising kids who have no idea they can go to the store or church without driving in a car, even if it’s just a few blocks away.

I bike the city of Batavia also, you are right about taking your life in someone else hands, "RAD drivers". I found riding a bike around the side streets, parks, Dewitt Pond, beautiful well kept yards to be a real pleasure.I am sad to say most of this is passed by unoticed while driving a vehicle.The city of Batavia has alot to be proud of,and by the looks of it ellicott st will be just as nice when the city's crew finishes the improvements, thank you Batavia.

The bumpout landscaped sections at intersections are the most dangerous obstacles in the city for cyclists IMO
That said
I don't mind riding a bike in the city at all..although a ride through the city is much nicer at night
I ride in the snow even
without helmet
Wider lanes/shoulders would be nice

I think most all drivers are very cognizant of the road especially when it comes to people and bikes and such where death could easily result from a single simple mistake

Unfortunately
other drivers are just that
People in car armor

If people drove Model Ts I bet they'd be safer

Why wait for the red light just go throw it everyone else does...and I'm not saying you do but I say this because I have no car and ride a bike to were I have To go all the time and I'll say about less then half there always someone zipping down the street JUST TO GET THROW THE LIGHT

WOW I feel better getting that off my chest but OOH the cell phones and driving I bet we could start a long winded topic an that. I see this every day on a bike so watch out bike rider those breaking this law are everywere.

"Bump out intersections" Well hope we dont get scolded again but here goes; Please someone claify the use of these traps for bike riders, meaning the bump outs?????
I have traveled most of my life and dont remember seeing them in any city.Im sure I will be proved wrong.
Now back to the power outage and lights out on main st, yea! Whats up with that?

More on the way via Elicott st project? Can someone please explain the idea of or the necessities of such bumpouts??????? Just what is the function of them? What about snow plowing,must be more difficult?

City Bike Rider

bumpouts ?

The BID business owners wanted to do things to slow traffic and entice people to stop and shop. Don Burkel can explain this much better than I.

The bump outs are to stop people parked along the side of the street just going forward and turning. That causes a lot of accidents. you are right on the snow plowing.

OK thanks at lest I know now ;)

These bumpouts suck for people on bikes I can see this already.

Not happy ;(

Holy cow! two new bumpouts on Ellicott St, ritht across from Hairrs Plumbing supply and a tatoo shop? What is going on? Is anybody at the wheel?
Are we not reading the newspapers or watching news on TV? We are still spendng money like drunkin salors? I challange anybody to explaine the need.

Thank you in advance,
RW

there dumb or maybe there going to plant Oak or maple trees there

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

All you hear is the State is paying for it so who cares...Just like the round about project on oak street..Its state money so who cares..i think i pay state taxes...

The state isn't going to give us a refund for being stupid enough to turn down our share of grant money. The people downstate who get it instead won't cut you a check either.

We are going to do the work it takes to go out and get our infrustucture repaired. This line of thinking might sound good in a blog but, it isn't good to do in practice.

This work is also very important for the business owners in that area. So much so they are paying for a good chunk of the work. Let's stay positive, our city has a future and needs up keep.

I guess I might be over reacting a bit, or I watch to much TV, but the NY state budget is in big trouble, the country and some of the greatest business in history are on the ropes.

Think positive.............hummmmmm Im tryin! Oh yea! just got my quartely 401k report. :(

I wish the businesses on Ellicltt St good luck in the future and may the improvements help them gain business.

My 101K report isn’t looking much better either. I figure my retirement date has been moved up into my 90’s at this point. There is no thinking positive about that.

The way I see it, fixing infrastructure (sidewalks, roads, water and sewer) isn’t waste, it is what government is supposed to do with our money when they take it from us. You can spot waste real quick, they use code words for it like “programs” or “initiatives” or “bailouts”, those are the ones we should be looking out for. The problem is our country has been cutting out infrastructure repairs and using the money for real pork for way to long.

If we had a smaller, less powerful federal government, if we more if not all taxation power was controlled by smaller government units, we would have few if no unfunded mandates, more things could be accomplished locally, and we would all be better off for it.

I agree howard with the idea of a smaller gov't.maybe thats what will happen when this present gov't comes crashing to the ground.the previous statement almost seems inevitable.i liked the original idea that this country was based on.

WE THE PEOPLE WITH THE MORE PERFECT UNION

You would.

Smaller GOV wow what would ya do with all that extra $$$?

They must all learn to slow down and step on the brakes especially on intersections. I don't really want to get in trouble with my classic 69 VW Bug especially that <a href="http://www.alloemcarparts.com">vw bug parts</a> are hard to come by.