Clinton Hell’s Kitchen Chelsea Coalition for Pedestrian Safety (CHEKPEDS) was founded by residents and community leaders in September 2005, to reclaim 9th Avenue from the hellish Lincoln Tunnel traffic. The coalition grew rapidly with Businesses, Institutions and Property Owners joining in to correct the dangerous conditions in the neighborhood: pedestrians risk their lives crossing the streets, children cannot safely walk to schools; residents cannot breathe or sleep; public transportation is ineffective; local stores experience slow and costly deliveries; personal safety is at risk. Watch the Video.
The coalition works directly with elected officials, city agencies, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, business associations, Business Improvements Districts, local institutions, and Manhattan Community Board 4 to obtain crucial traffic relief and pedestrian safety measures locally and citywide.
Many local improvements sought by the coalition can only be achieved through city-wide or state-wide policy changes. The coalition works closely with citywide advocacy organizations and other community boards to effect such changes. Read the May 2006 coalition’s letter to Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff and his response.
Our goals (from 2005)
REDUCE INJURIES and SAVE LIVES
there were over 500 pedestrian injuries in 5 years on 9th Avenue. Eleven intersections have become two to three time more dangerous. Holy Cross is the most dangerous school for children to walk to in Manhattan. EMS and FIRE vehicles cannot go through.
IMPROVE our HEALTH
We have 25% more deaths from chronic lung diseases than in the city overall. In fact there has been a 71 % increase in complaints about the air quality in 4 years.
STOP the GRIDLOCK, STOP the CONGESTION, REDUCE the volume of TRUCKS and BUSES
Ninth Avenue corridor between 35th and 46th street has the second highest number of truck accidents per mile in Manhattan.
Our Campaigns
- Pedestrian safety
- Clean Air, Congestion
- Complete Streets
- Traffic Justice
- Transit
Our Successes / On the ground
- Relocation of Bolt Bus terminal to 33rd Street between 11th and 12th Avenues
- Trailing green turning light at 42nd street and 9th Avenue on south crossing
- Bike share stations all on parking spaces, no loss of pedestrian space
- Greening of Dyer Triangle, 35th / 36th, 9th and 10th Avenues
- Three bike corrals on floating parking lane on 9th Avenue to clear sidewalk congestion
- Pedestrian count down on 8th and 9th Avenues
- 60 pedestrian refuges with 8th Avenue protected bike lane 34th to 58th Streets, and 9th Avenue protected bike lane 34th to 58th Streets
- Relocation of Megabus Discount buses to 34th Street between 11th and 12th Av
- Closing of Edison parking exit on 43rd Street ( 8th / 9th)
- 40 additional curb side parking spaces for tour and charter buses
- Feathering down of traffic on 9th Avenue
- More time to cross the streets at 37th, 41st and 42nd and 9th, 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th Streets and 9th Avenue
- 17 seconds head start (LPI) at Dyer Avenue and 34th Street
- Traffic light at Holy Cross School, 43rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues
- Four speed bumps on 17th Street between 8th and 10th Avenues for Fulton House families
- Hess sidewalk redesign (44th – 45th at 10th Avenue) to improve PS 51 children safety
- 15th and 16th Street sidewalk redesign between 8th and 9th Avenues, to improve pedestrian safety
- Reopen 39th and 41st Streets to traffic
- Remove postal trucks from 9th Ave
- Traffic controllers at 42nd and 9th Ave
- Traffic controller at 40th and 41st Streets
- Traffic controllers at 37th and 9th Ave
- Traffic controllers at Dyer Avenue and 34th Street
- Greening of Hell’s Kitchen South (with HKNA)
Our successes / Strategic
- 9th Avenue Renaissance vision for the neighborhood Supported by CB4
- DOT Transportation Study of Clinton Hell’s Kitchen funded and underway (Solutions Phase)
- Pedestrian Safety Town Hall
- Bus Idling Town Hall
- Pedestrian Memorial March
- Hudson Yards / Hell’s Kitchen Alliance BID
Our Successes / Legislative
- Gridlock enforcement laws
- Crash reporting law
- Summons reporting law
- Idling around school law
- Tour bus loudspeakers law
Congestion Pricing!!!!!- Parking placards reduction
- Hudson Yards Parking Zoning amendment (with HKNA)
- Long distance bus legislation
Our Members
9th Avenue Association • 43rd Street Block Association • 44SW • 44th Street Block Association • 45th Street Block Association • 46th Street Block Association • 47/48th Street Block Association • 55th Street Block Association • 344-348 West 38th Street Tenants Corp. • Actors Temple Theater • American Home Hardware & More • Baryshnikov Arts • CandleWood Suites Times Square • Center B Studio LLC • Basilica • Brazil Brazil • Chimichurri Grill • Clinton Housing Development Corp. • Community Development Venture Capital Alliance • Costa del Sol • Cupcake Cafe • Delphinium Home • Dermot • Domus • Econolodge Times Square • Empire Tailors & Cleaners • Fresh Cut Flowers • Galaxy Diner • Gigi Stoll Portraits • Hampton Inn times Square South • Hartley House • Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association • HK Restaurant • HK50/51 Block Association • Holiday Inn Times Square • Housing Conservation Coordinators • Hudson Crossing Tenants Association • Il Punto • International Foods • J.Seffens Studio • John & Tony West • L’ Allegria • Larissa Designs • Manganaro’s Food • Manhattan Plaza • Metro Bicycle Stores • New Dramatists • Nice N Natural • Orion Condominium • PetsNYC.com • Piccinini Brothers • Poseidon Bakery • Project FIND • R/GA • Revolution Rickshaws • Rockrose Development • Sea Breeze • Sunnyside Records • Smiley • Sonja Wagner Gallery • St. Lukes Theater • Studio LLC • Tagine • Tartare • The Ritz • The Piano Factory • Thrift & New Shoppe • Trattoria Pesce Pasta • Vintner Wine Market
Our Board
Martin Treat, Co-Founder, Chair, HK
Christine Berthet, Co-Founder, HKS
Ernest Modarelli, Vice-President, HK
Kathleen Treat, Secretary,
Steve Belida, HK
Huong Hoang, HKS
Barbara Eastman, HKS
Matt Green, HK
Pat Hooper, HK
Michael Huarachi, HK
Lisa Orman, UWS
Allen Oster, CH
David Solnick,HK
David Warren, HK
Chana Widawski, HK
CHEKPEDS is a New York State Charity and a 501 (c)(3).
Hi. Revolution Rickshaws would like to join Chekpeds for 2011 and participate in creating a safer neighborhood. How do we do so?
Gregg,
good to hear from you . you will have many opportunities as we circulate petitions, ask people to testify and make calls
one urgent project is to promote safe and lawful driving by cyclist. do you have policies, tee shirts etc.. that we could disseminate in the neighborhood?
You are cordially invited
to the
Second (sort-of) Annual Chelsea Garden Club Pit Tour
on
Saturday, July 13th
at
10 a.m.
meet at
Eighth Avenue & 22nd Street
(at our composter in front of Foragers)
We will start at 22nd and (if everyone is game, make a side trip to 23rd and 7th to Kent’s gardens) then proceed South to 17th and Eighth then over to Ninth Ave and stroll north up as far as Cynthia’s pit at 30th then back to Eight Ave and down finishing at 23rd.
(You might want to bring a folding chair, or your bike)
Flower Power!
[…] About […]
Thank god for CHECKPEDS! I felt so alone and powerless, suffering from the noise pollution and air pollution in Hell’s Kitchen. I breath in the toxic air and wonder how long it’ll be before I’m diagnosed with cancer! I listen to the incessant honking and the roar of the trucks and taxis and buses and suv’s and wonder if I’ll go mad from all the noise!!! It CAN AND MUST be solved and I plan to join you to fight this atrocity.
I just nearly got run over while crossing ninth Avenue and 43rd St. with my daughter in her stroller. I was SO UPSET. A woman named Julie from Manhattan Plaza apartment building gave me your website. She was so supportive and kind, as I was very shaken.
I would love to get involved In your organization, especially since I run the Hells kitchen moms and dads group which is about 450 members at the moment. And becoming more active by the day!
Hello there! I am a student at the NYU Journalism school. I am currently writing a story on trash piles in New York City. I was doing research on the topic when I stumbled upon your June proposal. I would love to have the opportunity to sit down with one or more of your representatives for an interview about this topic. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.
All the best,
Daniel Girma