Lower East Side

Video: Drivers Ignore New Left Turn Ban at Delancey and Essex

As part of the safety improvements on Delancey Street that DOT is installing, the evening rush hour ban on left turns at the intersection of Essex and Delancey Streets was extended to prohibit left turns at all times. To educate motorists, DOT installed reflective overhead signs and temporary electronic signage.

By Stephen Miller

3:31 PM EDT on August 14, 2012

So far, more than a few drivers are ignoring the new rules at one of Manhattan’s most dangerous intersections. During one signal cycle, Gothamist captured five drivers in a row making the illegal turn from southbound Essex Street to eastbound Delancey Street. Some drivers on their way to the Williamsburg Bridge jumped the queue, cutting in front and behind a pedestrian in the crosswalk. “There is often an adjustment period as new projects and traffic patterns are implemented,” DOT spokesman Seth Solomonow told Gothamist. “We’ll continue to monitor the location and will take additional steps if necessary.”

It seems the necessary additional steps need to be taken by the NYPD, which after all is the only agency with the authority to ticket lawbreaking drivers. We’ve put in a request to NYPD’s press office, asking how the agency is enforcing Delancey Street’s new rules. We’ll let you know if we hear back.

Stephen Miller

In spring 2017, Stephen wrote for Streetsblog USA, covering the livable streets movement and transportation policy developments around the nation. From August 2012 to October 2015, he was a reporter for Streetsblog NYC, covering livable streets and transportation issues in the city and the region. After joining Streetsblog, he covered the tail end of the Bloomberg administration and the launch of Citi Bike. Since then, he covered mayoral elections, the de Blasio administration's ongoing Vision Zero campaign, and New York City's ever-evolving street safety and livable streets movements.