Latest / MyRye.com Conversations with Doug French / Traffic & Pedestrian Safety in Rye with Brian Dempsey
Transcript
- MyRye.com, Doug French: Welcome to the MyRai.com podcast, Conversations with Doug French. I'm your host, Doug French, former mayor of the city of Rye. And this podcast is all about the people and the issues that impact Rye and the surrounding region. Our goal is to inform you, our listeners, on issues that matter most to you so you can engage with those issues. Today the topic is pedestrian and traffic safety in Rye. And with us is Brian Dempsey, Chair. of the Rye Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee. Brian, welcome to myRai.com. Brian Dempsey: Thanks, Doug. MyRye.com, Doug French: And so in this episode, we'd like to really have the listeners walk away with three things. One is how the committee works and how residents can effectively raise concerns, what's been accomplished and what still needs attention, and practical advice that can make our streets safer right now. So those those are the general themes. again, I appreciate you being on with us. And the city is very fortunate to have you, Brian, giving your credentials. Can tell us a little bit about your professional skills that make you the guy when it comes to traffic and pedestrian safety? Brian Dempsey: Okay, I graduated from Villanova with an engineering degree, also then from Fordham with an MBA. since then I've had over forty years of experience in the engineering field. I am a professional engineer in New York as well as five other states. I'm a certified professional traffic operations engineer and a certified roadway safety professional and have various other training in different aspects of engineering. especially traffic, over the years. MyRye.com, Doug French: That's great. Well Villenova, you must be happy about the Knicks. Brian Dempsey: Yes, we've been hearing a lot about the Knicks and I ran into Josh Hart's father the other day in C V S. So the one in Harrison. MyRye.com, Doug French: It is C V S here in Rye? no. Okay, that's great to know. speaking of of family, there's a term here called old Rye, and so old Rye, you know, is old Rye, really our generation, but you you're you folks are really old Old Rye. Can you tell a little bit about the family history here? Brian Dempsey: from what we could tell, our family's been here since the eighteen sixties, along with the Kirby's and the balls all around that time. So the three of us talk about it a lot, since we've all been here that long. And so I grew up in Rye and so did my kids. one of my grandfathers was chief of the fire department as well as foreman of the DPW during the depression in that time. My father after World War II became a member of the firehouse and was also a volunteer at Milton Firehouse for 75 years, which was the longest lasting volunteer record there. I had an uncle on the other side of the family who was the last chief of police in Rye. And And we've been involved in everything. My father ran the Little League Parade for thirty years. My wife took that over and then we still help out, even though it's been a while since I was president of the Little League and she was president of girls' softball. but we've been involved in a lot of different organizations throughout and we try to keep that involvement and also been involved in a number of different committees on behalf of the city, including currently on the comp plan committee and I was on the previous comp plan committee. MyRye.com, Doug French: That's great. Yeah, and a lot of these activities really are they they it's really what makes up a community. The generations before us and and the continued progress. Yeah, I mean our crack staff here at the MarioRide.com podcast had to do a double check that it went back to the eighteen sixties, your family. So that that's just amazing. So let's talk about the committee itself, the traffic and pedestrian safety committee. If you recall when I was mayor, I actually expanded from the traffic committee to actually add the pedestrian piece to it, as we found the trends in Rye We're more about at being active and being, biking and walking and running in addition to just using the roads for traffic. what is the basic charter of the of the committee? Brian Dempsey: I originally was on the committee in the mid nineteen nineties and then it disbanded for I just got on and then it disbanded for a few years and was brought back. The main purpose of the committee was to listen to the various traffic complaints, pedestrian issues and other things that were occurring. because they were it was taking too long to go through city council and other procedures and so we now have this committee and we're formed of all volunteer residents and We also have representatives from the police department, the school board, in the school district, so their security officer from the school district is at our meetings, two police officers, when necessary, representatives from the fire department and other important agencies around around the city. and then we meet with the city engineer and city manager to go over. the key items that need to be followed up on. MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay, okay. So most of your agenda items really come from residents that have a concern? Okay, so walk us through Brian Dempsey: Yes. MyRye.com, Doug French: like a an item that comes up and how that process works from start to finish. Brian Dempsey: Okay. the city recently established the three one one contact program, so it's on the city's website. So if people have a concern, that's the best way to go about it is to go on the city website, file it, 'cause then it's on record with the city and they will forward it to our committee for review. But I get calls at Saturday mornings at eight o'clock in the morning with people with comments. I actually had someone come up to me at the church during my mother's funeral, with traffic issues. anytime I'm in town or at a Little League game or wherever, they bring up there too. So we hear all over the place. But the best way is to go through the the three one one program. MyRye.com, Doug French: So I would fill out a form and then I get a I get notified, yes, this is is will be on the agenda. Do I come prepared with photographs and other residents to talk about the issue? Brian Dempsey: So we're we meet now on Zoom once MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay. Brian Dempsey: a month and the advantage of that is more people can participate. What they they're also able to do is show photos or I can show photos and I have aerials of the different locations in Rye so we show can show what's happening, what what the signs are and such and what the road looks like and so that way it's it's it's very helpful to be on Zoom to to do that. People still at work are able to contact us through that way also. so we do get more of the resident input. Otherwise we will still discuss the different items. Well we get the information a few days before the meeting and then the people from the committee will go look at the particular location to see what's happening there. a lot of it involves around schools and so we have a representative from each school school in in the city attend on our committee so they they can give additional everyday input. MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay. you need to have a level of expertise to be on the committee? Brian Dempsey: no we have so I handle the technical stuff from the since based upon my background it but we have People from all different backgrounds, some were security, some are stay at home moms. It's a combination of just people various residents and we have a good mix of people throughout the city, so we're not focused just on one school or just on one neighborhood. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. And so you said you've got members of the police and and so forth on the and schools on the committee. How's that collaboration Brian Dempsey: Yes. MyRye.com, Doug French: working? So you work with the engineering department, the police department, public works, right? How's that collaboration work? Is it in the committee meeting itself or you've got separate meetings? Brian Dempsey: So We have Sergeant Heinrichs from the police department who had been the traffic officer and Officer Calcagney who's the current traffic officer. They attend every one of our meetings. and they're very helpful. They can say, what it is from an enforcement standpoint, what the police are seeing, what happened at a certain accident that we might not have seen the accident report from yet, things of that nature. So we know, you know, hands on from what they're seeing every day. Also they hear the issues from the residents and from that, like if someone's complaining about speeding, we'll then discuss with the police department and where we can put the speed radar signs and the police will put them up to measure speeds at various locations throughout throughout the city. MyRye.com, Doug French: And they'll come back with the data and they'll say, yes, we have a higher propensity of speeding. So now the next step, Brian Dempsey: Yes. MyRye.com, Doug French: once you look at the metrics and the data, then you come back and say we need some kind of signage for traffic control, that type of thing. Brian Dempsey: Right. So we'll look at the speeding, we'll look at the crash data that they provide us, and so we see, you know, what what issues there are. We'll also look at it and see what signage and everything. Then we coordinate with the engineering and DPW department and depending upon the level, we'll have to also go to the city manager and then for certain things like changing parking regulations, we have to go to the city. council 'cause it would have to be adopted into the city code. MyRye.com, Doug French: Gotcha. So let's let's put a picture on this. One of the main traffic items I see is the temporary stop sign at the fork in the road by Osborne Home right before Playland Parkway. Used to be a stoplight, now it's a it's a blinking stoplight with a stop sign. So what's the regulatory authority on that and how does that all what's happening with that? How does that all process work? Brian Dempsey: Well, I actually remember going back to it when it was there was only a stop sign on old post road and the post road had nothing. It did MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: go in and the first day that put a signal in, I know my father had a report to a call. a person wasn't expecting that the traffic signal was there. And I so I just remember him talking about that crash one day. so what happened was there was an electrical issue and then a mechanical issue within the traffic signal system there. There's limited companies that work on traffic signals in this area. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: they were been all backed up. So it went to an emergency blanking system and then the DPW installed the stop signs, the temporary stop signs. Right now we've gotten a lot of positive feedback. not not a hundred percent. There's some MyRye.com, Doug French: Exactly. Right. Brian Dempsey: people who make some comments. And so we've been doing a lot of observations at different times of the day, rush hour on weekends, during school and such. and there's been a lot of positive feedback. It is working very well. You know there are Some people who don't stop. as well as they should or they stop too long because they're not sure when to go. but all in all it we feel it's working very well. So we're giving it a little more time. We're seeing what can be done to add to it and keep and we're looking at keeping it as as an always stop. The one thing we were in the process of doing before that happened was adding a crosswalk at that location. Because there's children of go to Rye Middle School and Rye High School who practice up at Osbourne, mainly some modified sports. I mean we used to do it during freshman basketball. We used to have have to walk up there. So add that as a crosswalk there. we had some plans in the works before the signal one could put. So we're looking at how best to do it with the stop signs and what we can do there. MyRye.com, Doug French: So it would be a kind of a two step crosswalk, one to get to the island and then one to get across, that type of thing? Brian Dempsey: Well we're looking at that or looking at it at the shorter side, closer towards Silicon Beach Avenue, MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: and putting it over there. So that's what we're investigating right now. MyRye.com, Doug French: So the way I see it, I mean the regulatory authority is New York State, right, when it comes to traffic signals, correct? Brian Dempsey: yes and no. You have to follow their guidelines and such and so when we had looked at Sod Drive when people had requested a signal there, that went to DOT for review. they agreed not that a signal should not go in there for various reasons. you have to follow New York State DOT guidelines, but Rye has jurisdiction over most of the roads within the city. The MyRye.com, Doug French: Yep. Brian Dempsey: Boston Post Road's different, it's it's New York State Road, but in Rye, Rye has the right to have what's called local jurisdiction, so for the most part we have control over what can and cannot be done along the post road as long as you know it's following DOT guidelines. MyRye.com, Doug French: And not to date one but that was a big issue when I was mayor, is is keeping control of the post road. Hence you were part of it, I believe, making it a post road diet where you now had if you remember it used to be four lanes and it was super tight, four lanes and a very narrow. Now it's we created the diet, and now they make also take that into the marinate, that concept, correct? Brian Dempsey: Right. yeah, I came up with the diet back in nineteen ninety eight. It took a few years it then it did get installed. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: W actually one of the comments was Memarinick complained that it would back up traffic in Memarinick for three miles. Now MyRye.com, Doug French: Mm-hmm. Brian Dempsey: we're doing work with the town of Memarinick to help them. They want the diet continued from Rye all the way to Narshell. So through the village of Memarinick, Town of Memorick, Village of Largemont. so that part is all owned by the state. So the state's involved. they're looking at different things, they're looking at roundabouts in conjunction with the diet and right now their price tag is at 16.9 million dollars to do that stretch. and 'cause it's a lot more complicated there because you have a lot more driveways, a lot more commercial establishments in that stretch, MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: and you have a lot of on-street parking. and they're trying to fit bike lanes and everything else. You know, there's just so much room to fit everything. So something MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: will have to give in terms of the parking or the or the bike lanes. MyRye.com, Doug French: Well I have to say that the diet's been a huge success. I know a lot of people will were were active in that. Now occasionally you'll get behind a slow driver, but it is well worth having the the calming of traffic, now creating the crosswalks along the post road for pedestrians, having the shy space for biking. So it's really it's really tied in well with where the trends are with the Rye community. So kudos to that concept. and so I would just recommend feedback and and listeners send your comments in if you like the stop sign. the post road there but if you recall Brian Purchase Street had it had a couple of stop signs and we got rid of those I'm sorry traffic lights we got rid of those and put in stop signs again huge success and I think I'm seeing the same thing with the stop sign you just the temporary stop sign you just mentioned Brian Dempsey: Yeah, and when we looked at that, the traffic signals are all supposed to be updated to meet current standards. The traffic signals on Purchase Street were there for more than fifty years. so we looked at doing other methods which are similar to what we've done in other towns. and we've it's worked very well on Purchase Street. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback on it. Again, there's always, you know, one or two people who do make comments against it, but it does operate very well and some of these traffic signals now are costing four hundred to five hundred thousand dollars apiece MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: plus yearly maintenance and electricity, so they're not they're not that cheap. MyRye.com, Doug French: No. I think fifteen years ago there were about two hundred and fifty thousand and so that that helped make the decision and it turned out to be the right strategy. So let's talk about what else is working. the this you brought back the bicycle radio, as I recall, and doing my research with the the crack team here? Yeah. Brian Dempsey: The bicycle road, yes. we ran that for many years in the early two thousands. it stopped but we brought it back last year again. it the our biggest problem is, getting volunteers to help. and finding time in a place around here is really tough 'cause these kids have are doing all sorts of activities and everything. So we like doing it at the high school 'cause it's visible. People drive by, they see it and stop by. We had over a hundred kids last year when we did it. we had some rain issues and that's another issue is weather conditions and such. it's a very good program. It helps develop younger kids on how to ride a bike, how to signal, what to do at a stop sign. And they have fun. They drive ride their bicycles through different obstacle courses and different MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: things. the police bicycle group was a big help. we've had help from the Cub Scouts and other programs also which which help just with in terms of volunteers. And the other thing we do is we have a bike store, their representatives come, they help inflate the tires, check the brakes, check the other parts, check the helmets MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah, that's great. Brian Dempsey: of the of the kids. in the past we've given out helmets to, you know, kids who needed helmets. You know, make sure they're wearing it right and it's the right size. so it's a big thing about bicycle safety too. And the kids enjoy it. MyRye.com, Doug French: Sounds great. you know, I think the other thing that I that I really have liked is we started the rectangular the the flashing beacons for the pedestrian crosswalks. Now I see those expanded in more and more locations. can you update us on that? Brian Dempsey: Yeah, so we put in between ten and fifteen last year. Some we were able to get the county to put in like along the Playland Parkway pathway there. So when they cross the post road and cross North Street, old Post Road. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: so we were able to get them to cover some of the expenses. We actually have a list of forty three other locations right now requested. MyRye.com, Doug French: okay. Brian Dempsey: We're trying to prioritize One MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: there's cost, two you wanna have in the right areas where the it's a lot better if we get to run on solar as opposed MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: to hooking up electricity. But this there's certain areas that it have too much tree coverage, so it the solar doesn't work, it doesn't get as much sunlight as necessary. But the solar also has other issues in terms of, you know, it's gonna wear out, it gets MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: snow on top of the on top of the shield. It doesn't so it doesn't hold its strength. MyRye.com, Doug French: Plus forty three locations seems like a lot, no? Okay. So you have to prioritize and really find Brian Dempsey: Forty three more locations? Yes. we're prioritizing and we're not saying they would go in at all forty three. We did reject a a lot of but we we keep a running list. MyRye.com, Doug French: No, I think they're I think they're great. especially 'cause you we're walking around. Brian Dempsey: W one thing MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: there are two things. One I wanna say is for parents to teach their kids they can be up to ninety percent effective but they're not a hundred percent effective, so even though the lights blink and have your children make sure they look make sure the car sees them, they see the car and the driver's is stopping or slowing up before the crosswalk. 'Cause there are you know, there are places where you know, people still drive right through. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: so you you gotta even though the lights blinking, wait until you know it's safe to cross. The other thing we see a lot is The kids, especially the kids going to schools, press the buttons. but a lot of adults do not. And MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: they'll walk right by it, they won't press the button and then they'll just walk. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: Yeah, we recommend pressing the buttons. In another town we had a thing where you walk through the bollards, there are two bollards which have a MyRye.com, Doug French: Yep. Brian Dempsey: little beam which will automatically set off the the buttons, and the flashing and people actually will walk around the bollards not to the the light does not go off. So it's just so much you can do to control it. MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay, okay. Yeah, exactly. I mean that's that's great advice, especially with a lot of out of town drivers now this time of year come to the beach clubs and playland and so forth. not everybody really knows the rules here. yeah. Brian Dempsey: And we're finding a lot of towns have been using, you know, what we're doing and through my work we've been doing it in various other municipalities throughout Westchester and and Fairfield. MyRye.com, Doug French: We also see a lot of the mobile speed signs popping up and they also c collect data as well as just try to calm traffic. Brian Dempsey: The newer ones collect the data, the older ones did not, they just flashed the speed. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: so one of the things that when we do get a complaint about speeding is we have a list for that and we work with the police department and they move the signs around. Some of them are permanent, some are they're portable and the one issue is you know, the battery only lasts so long so that they have to charge the battery so there'll be times what it's it's not flashing. but it records the speeds and some people make the comment, well I slowed slow up when I see it recorded the speed. and so that's not an accurate reflection of what the speed limit is the speed is for vehicles. But actually it is because the machines already recorded the speed before you see the light flash up, so they already have it on record what you're going. So it does get people to slow up, it gets people MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: to think, all right, yeah, I'm going too fast. And it gives us a good idea of what speeds are. In some of the neighborhoods, you know, people think cars are going super fast and when they see that and we show them the results, they're not always going that fast. Now they may be MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: going too fast for the particular neighborhood, but they're not necessarily over the speed limit in most cases. MyRye.com, Doug French: Any any surprising data point that came out in in a particular location? Brian Dempsey: No, th we're I've been dealing with them for so long you got used to so it we're for they're coming out with what you know, we generally think. we do have a set where it does record your speed, but it will send a message if you're over a certain speed limit because we've had cases in other towns where kids will try to see how who can get the highest number MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: at at night and such. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: so that's why it doesn't show a speed that's that too high, so we'll cap it at say thirty five or whatever. and then it'll it said it'll say too fast or something to that effect. MyRye.com, Doug French: So remember when I was mayor and I was trying to learn about the court system, I sat in the back of the court on traffic day, traffic ticket day, and most of the folks were parents driving through school zones, which which really was surprising. So the education is key. let's talk about so any any final thoughts on what's working, anything you know projects that you're most proud of with the committee that you've accomplished? Brian Dempsey: Well, I didn't we mentioned it the the R Fs and the Road Dyer two are the ones we're most proud of. We're also proud of the bike rodeo and we'd like to keep that going. anything to help safety. Yeah, i our hardest problem and the police's hardest problem, you know, they do enforcement but a lot of the roads and right it's hard for a police car to hide. But their presence at least does slow some people down. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: but then when they pull someone over and not to speak for them, but they'll have here every excuse in the book and I'm a resident, you shouldn't pull me over, you sh pull over these other out of towners or whatever. You know, so they get a lot of that comments. We've had a person come to our and I won't say he lives in one of the local neighborhoods, came to our meeting to complain about speeding in his neighborhood and actually admitted that he got a speeding ticket on the way to our meeting. so you know MyRye.com, Doug French: jeez. That's a story. Brian Dempsey: and there's other cases where people who really pushed for lowering the speed limit or complaints about speeding, have actually been the ones speeding. there. so MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Yeah. Brian Dempsey: you know it if you set these rules and we say this when people ask for no parking in certain areas, you know, the rules have to apply to everyone in those regards. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. So just a couple of other other challenges that I'm looking at. So you're talking about speeding a lot obviously, but what about distracted driving? Is there anything the committee can do or when it comes to distracted driving? Brian Dempsey: That's distracted driving's really hard for the police to enforce. They can pull the people over but it's hard to prove that they were on the phone at times. and but I see it when I walk my daughter's dog and if you do a lot of walking around town or you walking a dog, you you'd see it's amazing how many people are on MyRye.com, Doug French: Thank you. Brian Dempsey: their phone and from our other training you could see how the people are weaving back and forth because they're not They're not focused on the road, they're on the phones. But walking a dog or just general walking on the sidewalk and you it's amazed how many people are on it. It's something hard to control, you know, but it's something really critical. It it's a big factor in a high percentage of the crashes across the country. Now cars you have all these so called smart cars now and they have all this advanced technology, but the number of crashes are actually going up because people are thinking, the car's gonna tell me if I'm I've moved over too far it's gonna beep or what and the people are less paying attention to what they should be paying attention to. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah, I mean I just throw it in the console. But it it is amazing. If you just maybe stand on Burchard Street, you just see the people or just anywhere, just they drive by with their heads down looking at their phones. It is amazing. what about the rise of e bikes and e scooters? What are you guys doing about that? Brian Dempsey: Okay, that that's been a hot topic with us and with the police department and we've been working with them. there's a lot of lot of issues with them. it's hard for that's another thing that's not the easiest thing to really afford is in terms of trying to pull some of the people over. It started off our biggest issues with them were there's a lot of people, especially the food delivery Who generally wear dark clothing at night and there's no reflectors, no lights on the e bikes or the C scooters and you can't see now it's been very popular with the kids, riding them in school and stuff, but by the state law you have to be at least sixteen years old. A lot of these kids aren't. They're not wearing helmets. I've seen on major roads trying to do wheelies and things like that in Wood Park which won't name, but they actually built jumps and stuff through the through the woods and have a whole little course that they ride. And a lot of the kids are nowhere near sixteen. they don't have helmets on and there's you know, there have been deaths in this area, because of it's something that's to be take it serious. I mean when I was in high school moped started had MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: a couple year run But they were built differently These, you know, they're only supposed to go a certain mile per hour. these have been jacked up so they can go much faster than they're supposed to be. And their kids riding on the sidewalk, riding on the wrong way. I there were kids two of the other day on the post road sidewalk trying to ride side by side and they came across other pedestrians there and the one kid almost wiped out trying to get around the pedestrians. it's a dangerous thing and we're trying to do a lot of more education on it and education with the schools on it too, 'cause the schools have had issues with them also. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah, so what what about that? The gap between what residents think versus what realistically can be done to solve a problem. What's your outreach or communication to just educate the public on some of these gaps? Brian Dempsey: trying to explain the rules, the legal aspects, the dangers of that they should have helmets. There was People send us from Rai Moms and some of these other websites and there was a Rye mom who wrote, you My kid's only twelve years old but his friend's got e bikes, so he wants an e bike and I know it's against the law but I wanna get him one you have to follow the rules, be MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: safe and you'd be amazed how many kids they'll put on the helmet and as soon as they get around the block the helmet comes off. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah. Brian Dempsey: you know, so they don't have their helmets on. As I said, I see trying to do wheelies, doing jumps, and, you know, if they get hit by a car, you know, it's not gonna be pretty. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right, right. All right, well let me let you catch your breath a second while I just remind our audience. If you have a topic or person that you'd like to hear on the MyRide.com podcast, conversations with Doug French, just email me at French at MyRide.com or let me know around town. And also, please share, like, or subscribe to this podcast. It's all about the local issues and it's a conversation on the people and on the issues that really impact our region. So we're gonna jump ahead to looking ahead, Brian. you've listed your priorities with the committee. be school crosswalk awareness, overall pedestrian and bike safety, and improving driving behavior. Anything you want to touch on those? Brian Dempsey: Yeah, it those have been our goals for a while. we're trying. when I took a person who she became a new city council rep not on the current council but previously. But it took her to a sidewalk 'cause try to explain what we're seeing. And so I said, stand at the sidewalk like you're about to cross and see how many people stop. And she was amazed that nobody would stop for her to cross. Now people waved to her, people honked at MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay. Brian Dempsey: her 'cause they knew her, but not one of those people stopped. And MyRye.com, Doug French: I shouldn't laugh, but it it is, yeah. Brian Dempsey: it it's what happened. But at Osborne School, This we had painted sight triangles at the driveways to keep people not parked there and so you could see people the people coming out, you could see the cars, you could see people crossing. There's one resident who actually has installed her own signs on the road because these people continue to park, you know, right at at the edge of the driveway so nobody could see, nobody could see the kids crossing. and it's they know it's not legal. The police come, they ticket it, and then the next day they come back and they move their signs and they park right there again. And that's what we're trying to get people to follow the rules. They are there for a reason. And, you know, it it causes a lot of unsafe conditions. MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay. All right. Now a a group has come forward with a walkable community plan. is that something you said you're on the comprehensive plan, is that something where you the committee would look at some of these other ideas that come from other sources? Brian Dempsey: Yeah, so so one of the branch offs in the comp plan is gonna be mobilization, traffic, pedestrian safety and other means of travel and Ryan all in all has a pretty good sidewalk system compared to other municipalities. It's not perfect. It is old so you know, there are areas like Milton Road by Sand Street There's sidewalks only on one side of the road, they're done on the other, and it would be difficult to put sidewalks in on the other side. but all in all it's got a pretty good sidewalk system. but there's always ways to improve it but the problem is things cost money. We've looked at different trails. we worked with the county to put in that trail along Flayland Parkway. and that gets used a lot by walkers and dog walkers and bicyclists. so we're looking where we can put trails in and sidewalks. The sidewalks are supposed to go into and on Forest Avenue on between the parkway and my nursing. That's a long process. People are now seeing what it takes, what I go through all the time to get through government channels and if you have grants it there's so much paperwork and so many levels you have to go through before things can get done. So and I'm sure you saw it when you were mayor. MyRye.com, Doug French: Yeah, absolutely. And once they're in, it's up to the homeowner to keep them shoveled, correct? Brian Dempsey: Right, which is an issue so a lot of people recommend ask for sidewalks at certain locations, but not in front of their house. They want it in other spots. And is those people who would go through whose property would be in front of one depending upon how the sidewalk is being paid, whether it's a grant or not, would be responsible for paying for some of that, as well as for daily maintenance and if a tree lifts up a root from a tree lifts up the sidewalk, they repair the sidewalk and such. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: And so people want they don't want in front of their house, but they want in other spots. MyRye.com, Doug French: So here in the MyRai dot com podcast studio, above my shoulder is actually a charcoal illustration of Purchase Street, the famous bend as you come down Purchase Street. Anything happening in downtown that we should be aware of? Brian Dempsey: right now there's a bunch of utility work and other work and it's gonna happen throughout the city. that's D Pw and not us, but a lot of infrastructure is in need of repair, a lot Con Ed's doing more things but terms of there's more need for sewer, more need for water. Some of the pipes are over a hundred years old. So there's gonna be different construction in there. we've looked at some other things along Purchase Street and such. and there's always been tinkering about parking and and things and see what else we can do. But right now we're not doing anything except at the intersection of Purdy and Theatre Frem and Perchess MyRye.com, Doug French: Correct. What's that? Brian Dempsey: Street is that the process of being updated that signal there and what can be done there. MyRye.com, Doug French: And so it's safer to walk 'cause that is kind of a wide span. yeah. Brian Dempsey: Right. S so it have pedestrian signals it'd have looking at changing the signal phasing and such there. MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay. Alright, we're gonna move to the lightning round and this is just one word or very short answers. and so what's what's what one word best describes the biggest traffic challenge in Rye right now? Brian Dempsey: observe it. Observe it to the rules. MyRye.com, Doug French: The roads have been great, they've been terrible, but what's one word on the road conditions compared to previous years? So road conditions today compared to previous years. Brian Dempsey: They're well, very good. MyRye.com, Doug French: I've noticed a huge difference. Brian Dempsey: problem is every time someone moves into a new house and they have a new utility connection, the roads get dug up again and such and so some of the patchwork done is not always the best. MyRye.com, Doug French: And people may not realize, but Midland, Theodore Friend, Wapanoca, the parkway, those are all county roads, correct? Yep. Brian Dempsey: Yeah, along with North Street, Old Post Road, Hammond, there are a number of county roads. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. So we're relying on them to have them paved and up upgraded and so forth. All Brian Dempsey: Yes. MyRye.com, Doug French: right, one word that most motivates you to keep doing this after twenty-five years. Brian Dempsey: just dedication. I see it for a living, I see the results of what happened, so 'cause we do action reviews and crash analysis and things, so but safety is the biggest issue. MyRye.com, Doug French: one word residents should remember before they complain about traffic. Well not complaining before they they raise a question about traffic. Brian Dempsey: patience. 'cause it takes a while to get through the different levels of government. You know, whether we have to just within the city or if we have to go to the county or if we have to go to the state. It takes a while and not everything gets done right away and things have to get put into legalized in the codes and such. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Brian Dempsey: So it's not as just a simple process of putting up a sign in two minutes. MyRye.com, Doug French: And on a personal note, do you have a favorite spot for coffee? Brian Dempsey: I don't drink coffee. I don't drink anything hot, but I'd say Jerry's. But I get other things instead of coffee. MyRye.com, Doug French: Okay, And do you have a suggested topic or guest that we should have on here? Brian Dempsey: I'll have to think about that one MyRye.com, Doug French: All right. Any final thoughts, Brian? Brian Dempsey: you know, maybe someone from the police department in terms of their view on traffic safety and and other issues. MyRye.com, Doug French: Right. Okay. Any final thoughts for the for our listeners? Brian Dempsey: No, we I think we covered it all. My two things were the patients following the rules and then e bikes was is our hot topic of the month now. MyRye.com, Doug French: Well, Brian, I really enjoyed it. I mean who who would think we could do forty plus minutes on on traffic and pedestrian safety, but we did. It was very informative and enjoyable. and thanks again for your insights. And really Thanks for your service to the community. It's been a long slog. It's tough, this this topic in this community, but you've done a great job, so kudos to you for your leadership on that. And I just want to say thank you very much, Brian, and to our listeners. Again, you can find the full transcript episodes on myride.com as well as local news and more. If you enjoyed this episode, please like it, subscribe to it, follow us. And I want to thank you all for listening and see you. You next time on the MyRide.com podcast, Conversations with Doug French. Thanks again, Brian. Brian Dempsey: Thank you, Doug.