PHOTO: The members of Community Board 9 (seated at tables) voted on Tuesday in favor of three different transportation projects. Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza
At its first regular monthly meeting after the summer break, Community Board 9 on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of three transportation projects that will impact three neighborhoods within the next year.
First up was the city Department of Transportation Safe Routes to Schools initiative involving PS 54 on 127th Street in Richmond Hill. The program focuses safety improvements at city schools with the highest accident rates—PS 54 being one of them.
Each priority school underwent thorough study that included outreach to each principal, meetings with parents and other interested parties, collection and analysis of data concerning traffic conditions and student travel patterns and development, evaluation and approval of comprehensive short-and long-term pedestrian safety improvement measures.
In addition to the improvements at the 135 priority schools, DOT upgraded school crosswalk signs around all 1,471 school locations and created and distributed traffic safety maps for each school.
All of the short term safety improvements at the first 135 priority schools in Safe Routes are complete. This work includes new traffic and pedestrian signals, the addition of exclusive pedestrian crossing time, speed bumps, speed boards, high visibility crosswalks and new parking regulations.
Capital construction on long term improvements has begun at many of the 135 first round schools. These projects may include roadway reconstruction, realignment of the curbs and sidewalks, curb extensions, installation of raised or extended medians, and bus pads, in addition to infrastructure or utility work. Some projects also include installation of speed humps and new traffic signals, as well as signal timing modifications.
The CB 9 Transportation and Traffic Committee voted in favor of sending a letter of support for the PS 54 Safe Routes Capital project. The full board followed suit Tuesday night.
Next transportation project up for vote was the installation of a speed hump on Park Lane South between Forest Park Drive and 79th Street, near Mary Whalen Playground, in Woodhaven.
“We found it very difficult to even cross the street there,” said one board member.
The vote to approve the hump was unanimous.
And finally, CB 9 voted in favor of making major changes to 97th Avenue between 102nd and 103rd streets in Ozone Park.
“It’s a very narrow road,” said Transportation Committee Chairman Kenny Wilson. “You have to let people go past you, or you end up playing a game of chicken.”
CB 9 Chairman Raj Rampershad added, “I drove down those avenues yesterday, and I’m worried for my mirrors, I gotta tell you.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
