I could live with them fixing the light situation, but I'm not holding my breath. Right now, what you have on Lafayette Avenue in the mornings is a situation where cars speed up the street (in nice weather) and honk at the people who live there who dare try to get into their own cars on their own street. Things slow down in the winter because it's an obstacle course, but look out once spring arrives!

you betcha. you don't want your neighbors to use your street, you take up a collection from Lafayette residents to reimburse the city for taxes spent on repair, plowing, garbage collection, etc. there. Good luck with that.

I use it to avoid the non-stop cars on Lucas that you don't let you come out from Emerson St. Just because a road has traffic doesn't mean you make it one way, you deal with it....part of life.

I also am a resident of Lafayette Ave. I concur with this request.

if you're familiar with the Grand Central Parkway, then you should realize that people up here have jobs they need to drive to; the phenomenon is not limited to New York City. Da Country is not a theme park where you can just pay for everything like at Disney; people live real lives here, and that includes sharing space, paying taxes for municipal resources, and traveling to work.

The practical fix would be to incorporate a left turn signal at the traffic light at Lucas and Washington.
That would encourage traffic to take those roads instead of racing down a narrow single block long avenue terrorizing pets and residents who dare step on the street they live on. Btw Don Canard, municipal resources does not mean it is your personal ashtray. Didn't you already have a negative comment about this issue. This website is meant to FIX things, Disney...Grand Central Parkway??
Get a life.

ISN'T THIS THE SAME LAFAYETTE THAT HAD PROBLEMS IN THE WINTER AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN A ONEWAY THEN. ALSO THERE ARE MAJOR RUTS AND CRATERS ON THIS STREET TOO.

THE THREE WAY STOP AT LAFAYETTE AND MAIN SHOULD BE REMOVED. I HAVE SEEN NEAR ACCIDENTS SINCE THE STOP SIGNS WERE PUT UP. THE CARS ON MAIN STREET DO NOT STOP AND THOSE COMING FROM LAFAYETTE ARE EXPECTING THEM TO STOP.

People breaking the law is not a reason to remove a stop sign. Stop signs slow traffic and make things safer. Perhaps bigger signs are needed - or warning signs of a stop further up the street. Also the radar speed device might help. Removing the stop sign will only speed things up and make it less safe.

I agree, a turn signal at Washington and Lucas would do the job. However, a nice first step would be to get sensor lights instead of the manual timed lights we have now. Traffic throughout Kingston would flow better. Congestion is created each day as cars wait for "ghost" cross traffic.

When I'm taking a left from Washington on to Lucas, I pull forward into the intersection so that cars can drive around me. But most people stay back at the light because they're too inconsiderate to allow cars through. This makes for a huge back-up, as you all know. A left-turn signal (or widening the intersection somehow) from Washington on to Lucas is a great idea.

When you pull into the intersection to let people pass, it's no that they don't care as the reason they don't go around. It's that the space between your car and the corner is not that wide. A lot of people will not go through a smaller space. On a highway, probably, but not there. If it is a longer car, they will definitely not. The turn signal is a great idea as there is not much room for widening there. Sensors would be great too. If they ever change the traffic flow as they would like to, I believe washington would become a one way street and it would eliminate the problem.

When I pull into the intersection, people DO drive around me and the traffic keeps flowing. It's the other people who stay back at the light who don't give others that option. I've seen traffic backed up on Washington from Lucas to Main St. If people pulled forward, that wouldn't happen.

I understand what you are saying. Some people though have been taught not to pull intoithe intersection until they know they can make the turn. I drive for a living and see it all day everywhere, and it is frustrating. They are afraid of bring caught in the intersection after the light goes red and having a problem with traffic. The only thing I see that would help there is a left turn signal, but I don't believe that would eliminate the problem of shortcutters on Lafayette.

all these issues should be put before the common ccounsel...... traffic needs to flow or there will be a major backup anywhere.......

I would be happy to introduce legislation to the Common Council's Public Safety Committee (which I'm on until the end of December) to make Lafayette a one-way street.
Last year I asked several residents about alternate side of the street parking and it was not recieved well. Please keep in mind that Lafayette is a dividing line for Ward 1 and 2. One side is Ward 1, the other is Ward 2. I will inquire with Alderman Hoffay to reach out to his side and I will reach out to mine.
To make this work properly Joys Lane should be one way as well, but it is a tricky intersection due to the entrance of Dietz Stadium.

Sounds like a plan, hope it works.

The 3-way stop is just fine. If people are too incompetent to navigate it they should pay a traffic fine or an insurance increase. This is just the latest round in the residents of Lafayette thinking they're going to get their very own street supported by all of Kingston's taxpayers but reserved for their exclusive use. The traffic that drains towards Lucas in the morning will drain towards Main in the evening. Stop parking your cars in the street while your driveways are empty and you won't have these problems. And please no one whine that I'm being negative, sometimes we have to do grown-up, scary things like that in order to understand a problem.

Form their exclusive use? I don't think so. That they want a street that people don't drive down like they are trying to beat a light maybe. A street that they want a street that they can feel safe driving on, maybe. Their are plenty of thru streets that are designed as thru streets. Lafayette is not one of them. making it one way would help solve the problem as well as a turn signal at washington and lucas which is badly needed. Residential streets were not designed to be used as expressways or parkways or people who feel they are entitled to drive where and how they want with no thought to others.

Don,
not only should they park in their driveways but they should be parking on one side or the other the way other narrow street have it.

Alright folks, it's now over a year later and there has been lots of discussion but little progress toward a solution.

One way - or not one way? 16 votes to change it, but little support in commentary. (Personally, I don't care. I bike down the street occasionally, but when driving, I always stay on Washington.

Widening or not widening?

Parking on just one side or alternate side or keep it on both?

There is little agreement here - so nothing will change.

Traffic light timing is coming - that takes time. The planning study was done and I believe that is in the works (although it could be delayed due to the sinkhole down by Linderman). Andi is no longer on the common council (Matt Dunn took her place). If I see a consensus, I'll be happy to talk to Mr. Hoffay, who is also my alderman, but I think the neighbors do not want to see the change (I could be wrong - please clarify!). I'm supportive of seeing change for the better - even if it doesn't affect me much.

On the otherhand, no consensus, and 8 months since the last comment - I will close the issue unless you speak up!

Being a resident of Lafayette Ave. I would like to see a one way street from Lucas to Main.
The complaint of motorists speeding down the street to beat lights is valid. Note to Don Canard and Annie, ONE-WAY does NOT IMPLY EXCLUSIVE USE. It merely means ONE-WAY. IF you need further explanation, please visit any of the other 100 ONE-WAY streets in the city.

Also, the number of cars parked on the street at night would indicate that both sides of the street are required for ample parking. Believe me, people that have off street parking use it. The remainder risk loosing mirrors like I have plenty of times.

And yes, the light at Washington and Lucas certainly is in need of a left turn signal.to encourage use of the main through roads.

look at the location, Kitty cat doesn't live on Lafayette, but on main st.
What is the motivation here?
Exclusive use, are you kidding? Where did they get that delusional garbage?
The real problem is inconsiderate driving.
You are all trying to treat the symptoms not the cause.