Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Crosswalks covered in plastic


Since we're on a Maspeth kick today, I was wondering if DOT is as inept in other neighborhoods as it is here. And no, there aren't just 2 in this condition.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of my childhood days of the plastic covered sofa to ward off dirt from reaching the fabric underneath - remember the yellowing glow?

Anonymous said...

Funny, I know we need these ramps but they are getting put in places that there is hardly any foot (or wheel) traffic. I walk along 43rd ave from Sunnyside to LIC and they've rebuilt a lot of corners along the strip, but I rarely see pedestrians there and I've never seen anyone rolling that way, though I saw a woman in a hijab there once.

Anonymous said...

The ramps were there previously. Why we need upside-down shower mats embedded in them is a good question...

Anonymous said...

Someone high up in government had a friend needed to get paid and a contract was entered.

Anonymous said...

Is this plastic the new method? They did this in the past two months down the street from me, at 11th Street and 46th Avenue in LIC. Seems like plastic makes the surface slick, defeating the purpose.

Anonymous said...

Hey guys,
I believe the upside-down shower mats are to help blind people know when they've reached the sidewalk.

Anonymous said...

Detectable warnings are dome-shaped bumps that should cover the entire width and depth of the ramp run. Detectable warnings are designed to be felt underfoot or with a cane by people who are blind or have low vision, thereby alerting them of hazards– mainly, the transition from a pedestrian-only area to a roadway.

If the curb ramp you are surveying has detectable warnings but they do not cover the entire ramp run, explain how they are different in the “Comments” section at the bottom of the form. For curb ramps along public streets, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has deemed permissible a strip of detectable warnings that stretches across the width of the ramp run but covers only the two feet nearest the road. If the curb ramp you are surveying is located along a public street, you may circle "Y" if the detectable warnings comply with the DOT’s design.

http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/app1curbramps.htm

Anonymous said...

The same purpose
served by these "bath mats"
was formerly accomplished
by the use of ribbed concrete furrows
at the crosswalks.

Concrete lasts much longer than plastic.

But that eliminated the awarding
of any future contracts for replacement
of these inferior mats!

Let's all look up WHO got the contracts
in exchange for DONATING campaign $$$$
to WHICH politician.

Anyone find "Waldo" yet....or Gallagher....whoever ?