Photo Courtesy of Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato’s Office
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (second from l.) organized last week’s meeting.
By Michael V. Cusenza
Area elected officials and community leaders recently met with City Department of Transportation representatives at the notorious Lindenwood Triangle, urging the agency to immediately install enhanced safety measures at the infamous intersection of 153rd Street, 155th Street and 88th Avenue.
Residents have been calling attention to the spot for years for being confusing for motorists and perilous for pedestrians.
The meeting was organized by Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) and featured fellow pols State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) and City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park); an official from Borough President Melinda Katz’s Office; Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton; and the leadership of the Howard Beach-Lindenwood Civic Association.
“After years of pressure, the DOT changed some signs from No Parking to No Standing Anytime, and so far that’s about it,” Pheffer Amato said. “While we appreciate inching forward, we really have to step in and completely reevaluate this intersection. I think all of the elected officials at the meeting were in accord on this point, because we’ve all been hearing complaints in our office for years. This intersection has been identified by the civic association and other residents as a menace, it’s a clear project for the DOT to move forward on, and we’re calling for an end to the foot-dragging right now.”
Ulrich declared, “It is imperative that the City makes safety at Lindenwood Triangle a priority. While there have been some minor improvements, pedestrians and motorists are still subjected to dangerous conditions at the intersection.”
Poor visibility and the confusing configuration of the triangle have sparked accidents and myriad near-misses for many years, area residents have noted. Additionally, in winter, the unusual positions of the crosswalks at the intersection prevent City Sanitation Department plows from properly clearing paths for pedestrians.
“It’s time to make this area safe for its residents,” Pheffer Amato added, “for people who work and go to school there – I took my own children to PS 242 in that area not long ago – and for everyone who uses it. The more an unsafe street lingers, the greater the probability of something tragic happening. The intersection needs to be re-thought and re-shaped now, before the unthinkable happens.”
The HBLC thanked the elected officials for their continued support regarding proper solutions for the Triangle.
“Without their help, we realize that none of the current or future improvements could happen, and we appreciate their steadfast work on this issue,” said civic President Joann Ariola.
