Useless barrier on residential street

[realjd]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

While they're often overused, I can see how they would be a good thing in some circumstances. Residential streets aren't usually designed for heavy traffic and there are definitely circumstances when you'd want to keep traffic on bigger roads designed to handle it.

[bzakharin]

Here's an interesting one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.937963,-75.006192,3a,75y,170.92h,76.2t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sfeqlcbA8rLqSniB--fRZZQ!2e0
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.936229,-75.006331,3a,75y,1.81h,64.15t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sAjc_mUx_ZtpLzE4c4w1NdA!2e0

The southern portion looks like someone's private driveway, but is in fact open to the public (only a "No Outlet" sign, not a "Do not Enter"), but is still entirely cut off from the northern portion, even for pedestrians. I wonder what's so special about whoever lives in that house. There are plenty of other thru streets in the neighborhood that are equally residential.

[bandit957]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

This.

If I need to use a street, I will use it. I pay taxes, and I don't give a hot diggity boom what the whiners think.

[1995hoo]

Here's an interesting one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.937963,-75.006192,3a,75y,170.92h,76.2t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sfeqlcbA8rLqSniB--fRZZQ!2e0
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.936229,-75.006331,3a,75y,1.81h,64.15t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sAjc_mUx_ZtpLzE4c4w1NdA!2e0

The southern portion looks like someone's private driveway, but is in fact open to the public (only a "No Outlet" sign, not a "Do not Enter"), but is still entirely cut off from the northern portion, even for pedestrians. I wonder what's so special about whoever lives in that house. There are plenty of other thru streets in the neighborhood that are equally residential.

That's weird. The southern portion sure looks like a private entrance. Around here if I encountered that I would expect it to be what some people call a "pipestem" marked with a green sign saying "PRIVATE DRIVE" with the house numbers underneath (my family always called those things "private drives" based on the sign).

It reminds me of this weird one I encountered in Derwood, Maryland. The northern portion of Carnegie Avenue is unpaved and effectively serves only the one house located at the end of that portion of the road. The residents treat it as their private driveway. I've met one of the residents (not in conjunction with driving on that street). I suspect, but do not know, that the homeowner (if she is still alive) was what is sometimes called a "legacy homeowner," i.e., someone who owned property there and refused to sell when the developers bought up the surrounding land. There is a white sign at the north end of the road, but I can't read it on the Street View and I don't remember what it says.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1217497,-77.1528876,421m/data=!3m1!1e3

There is a weird gap in the fence on the other side.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.12168,-77.153513,3a,75y,12.67h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1seOcfWs-pQRG748xjcQ9o4g!2e0

The street layout came up in testimony in a murder case about eight years ago in which the gun alleged to have been used in the shooting was retrieved from this house.

[hbelkins]

About 20 years, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) closed what was then called Walnut Hill-Chilesburg Road, which was a narrow county route connecting US 60 and KY 1927. I never really understood why. This was a through route and it was closed near the old abandoned railroad line that used to connect Lexington with Ashland. There are other alternative through routes that can be used now, but I thought this decision was odd. I did manage to drive it after they announced the impending closure but before they closed it.

https://goo.gl/maps/v0pv6

[Pete from Boston]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

This.

If I need to use a street, I will use it. I pay taxes, and I don't give a hot diggity boom what the whiners think.

And one way signs?  Do not enter?  Traffic lights?  Road closed?  Guardrail set in concrete fully blocking the road?  You ignore all those too, or are you chicken?  That's right -- drive on those whiners' lawns, the cops can't touch you because you pay taxes.

[Jardine]

Some of those SID neighborhoods in the Omaha metro would have streets and sewers financed by the developer and then as the subdivision fills up those obligations fall on the homeowners there.  So at least in those neighborhoods, a non-resident would have no tax money in the streets. IIRC, those areas, despite sometimes being completely surrounded by Omaha, are policed by the county, not the city. Also, fire services are, I believe, contracted for.

Also, residential streets would not be designed for truck traffic, and barriers may have been primarily installed to prevent them from entering and cracking the pavement and collaterally, those barriers keep cars out too.

The restricted access to these areas would be a factor in their desirability, and homeowners attracted to those areas would have a preference to maintain the travel restrictions.

[jeffandnicole]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

This.

If I need to use a street, I will use it. I pay taxes, and I don't give a hot diggity boom what the whiners think.

And one way signs?  Do not enter?  Traffic lights?  Road closed?  Guardrail set in concrete fully blocking the road?  You ignore all those too, or are you chicken?  That's right -- drive on those whiners' lawns, the cops can't touch you because you pay taxes.

I hear this from one of my carpool members.  He complains, for example, that he can sit in the left lane without passing because his taxes paid for that lane. I suggested he drive on the opposite side of the highway into oncoming traffic as well.  He didn't care for that suggestion.

[signalman]

I hear this from one of my carpool members.  He complains, for example, that he can sit in the left lane without passing because his taxes paid for that lane. I suggested he drive on the opposite side of the highway into oncoming traffic as well.  He didn't care for that suggestion.

You could remind this guy that his taxes also paid for lanes other than the left one.  Also, he better not get all worked up when someone goes cooking by him on the right, then cuts him off.  (I do that to left lane bandits quite often)

[vdeane]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

While they're often overused, I can see how they would be a good thing in some circumstances. Residential streets aren't usually designed for heavy traffic and there are definitely circumstances when you'd want to keep traffic on bigger roads designed to handle it.

Perhaps they should improve the through streets then.  People usually don't cut through residential neighborhoods without reason.  If they are, there's probably something wrong with the through road that needs to be addressed.

[Pete from Boston]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

While they're often overused, I can see how they would be a good thing in some circumstances. Residential streets aren't usually designed for heavy traffic and there are definitely circumstances when you'd want to keep traffic on bigger roads designed to handle it.

Perhaps they should improve the through streets then.  People usually don't cut through residential neighborhoods without reason.  If they are, there's probably something wrong with the through road that needs to be addressed.

Or, if the through routes aren't fast enough, there's always that little idea of budgeting extra time for the trip.

[1995hoo]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

While they're often overused, I can see how they would be a good thing in some circumstances. Residential streets aren't usually designed for heavy traffic and there are definitely circumstances when you'd want to keep traffic on bigger roads designed to handle it.

Perhaps they should improve the through streets then.  People usually don't cut through residential neighborhoods without reason.  If they are, there's probably something wrong with the through road that needs to be addressed.

This kind of echoes a point I made on the first page of this thread:

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

That depends on where you are. The first two examples I posted may–I don't know for sure–be on streets that belong to, and are maintained by, a private homeowners' association. Whether an HOA can block streets in that manner is almost certainly a matter of state law that will vary from state to state. But it's not always reasonable to assume that a street is "owned by tax-paying citizens."

I've long thought that HOAs having trouble with cut-through traffic should work with the municipality to make the main roads a more suitable option for thru traffic. For example, fight to get the traffic lights synchronized and such instead of throwing up stops signs and speed humps. I especially think this is true for HOAs whose streets belong to the county or state–I don't think it's their place to say "thou shalt not drive on our streets." HOAs that own and maintain their own streets, OK, I have less of an issue with them restricting access (witness all the gated communities in Florida, for example).

I'm kind of thankful that the VDOT-owned street leading into and out of my neighborhood only connects to the grid on one end (this due to some "legacy homeowners" who refused to sell their property when my neighborhood was built some 20 years ago). The speed limit is 25 and we already have too many people who go 40 mph or more. If the street went through at the other end, we'd get people going 50 to 55 trying to use it as a shortcut.

[NYhwyfan]

more or less used to eliminate thru traffic, at least the street name changes

eastbound https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.949771,-78.798532&spn=0.003373,0.006968&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.949768,-78.798381&panoid=VAi6NlD-c0Iea3LvkVB4uQ&cbp=12,90.42,,0,8.18

westbound https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.949767,-78.798382&spn=0.003373,0.006968&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.949769,-78.798107&panoid=X5hq_Ok-J_sqHqe2oMrFbA&cbp=12,275.53,,0,11.71

[sdmichael]

There are some of these in Encinitas, CA and Santa Clarita, CA. Sometimes they are major roads. Usually, it is a "one way" barrier - where only one direction is supposed to pass. I call them "We don't work and play well with others" barriers.

[abc2VE]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=montclair+va&ll=38.604744,-77.349597&spn=0.003031,0.006539&hnear=Montclair,+Prince+William+County,+Virginia&gl=us&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=38.604743,-77.350623&panoid=jFEgznanco-vLp3dQF-0Ug&cbp=12,9.11,,0,5.29

Here's one from Prince William County. I'm not sure about the story involving this case but, either this house was either built before the Montclair community was established or this is a homeowner who refused to affiliate with the Montclair community.

[roadman65]

Many of the streets between Kenilworth and Cranford in New Jersey have barriers planted in the ground at the municipal border to prohibit vehicle traffic going between the municipalities.  Only Orange Avenue is unblocked and the only through street between the two NJ towns other than Kenilworth Boulevard along the other border with Cranford.

[Pete from Boston]

Many of the streets between Kenilworth and Cranford in New Jersey have barriers planted in the ground at the municipal border to prohibit vehicle traffic going between the municipalities.  Only Orange Avenue is unblocked and the only through street between the two NJ towns other than Kenilworth Boulevard along the other border with Cranford.

Likewise Westwood and Emerson, where all streets between Kinderkamack Rd and Old Hook Rd (Bergen County 503 and 502, for those who only speak numbers) to the southeast of their intersection are similarly barricaded, presumably to prevent short-cutters.   I have never taken the time to find out if they were always this way or barricaded after the fact.

In this area of Mass., through-traffic prevention has lately mostly taken the form of the hyper-use of peak-hour restrictions of certain streets to abutters only.  Somerville, for example, which has embraced growing the reach of municipal government on an historic level, has sprouted these all over the place.  They are routinely ignored, but there sure are a lot of them. 

[JustDrive]

11th and 12th Streets west of Hoover Street in Los Angeles come to mind.  Oh wait, it was set up by the cops to rein in all the drug dealers in those neighborhoods.

[SteveG1988]

Far as I'm concerned, these barriers should be illegal. People have no right to complain about drivers "cutting through" "their" neighborhood. The streets are owned by the tax-paying citizens of the city as a whole, not the few selfish bastards that live on them.

So you should be legally allowed to drive on any government facility, get access to any government building, perhaps even explore the subway system of a city due to paying taxes, or fares to get into the system?

I have lived on streets that get a lot of cut through traffic, sometimes it can be dangerous due to people cutting through a quiet neighborhood doing a good bit over the speed limit, it potentially can cause injuries to children who are playing in what their parents expected would be a quiet side street...but ends up being a main road due to people thinking it cuts travel time due to having less lights or it avoids the center of town, or it is less likely to be a speed trap.

Notice most of these blocked roads are not even striped like a normal road, some are just a single yellow line, others have no lines at all.

[NE2]

How about opening it up but installing speed cameras?

[US81]

How about opening it up but installing speed cameras?

+1

[Brandon]

How about opening it up but installing speed cameras?

Hi Rahm Emmanuel, I didn't know you had an account.

[NE2]

Yep, I'm totally a neoliberal. Cockbag.

[The High Plains Traveler]

The neighborhood where I grew up was in Torrance, CA, and the boundary with the city of Palos Verdes Estates was a short distance away. There were several residential streets platted across the municipal boundary, but they were closed off to prevent through traffic. The first map, http://goo.gl/maps/MWDdS , shows the overall vicinity and the extent of a detour if you want to get from one side of the barricade to the other; you have to descend to the bottom of the hill and use Palos Verdes Blvd. The second link, http://goo.gl/maps/rrE6j , is a GSV image showing a typical barricade as it exists today. When I was a kid, the pavement was still continuous and there were iron posts blocking the road. No nice planters.

[talllguy]

This one doesn't even have a curb or barrier, just a chain and some cones. "Ramming speed!"