Photo Courtesy of Councilman Ulrich’s Office
Councilman Ulrich and DOT Commissioner Trottenberg have some fun on Friday on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven.
By Forum Staff
New distinctive pedestrian lighting treatments are coming to Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven, City officials announced on Thursday.
The new lighting will run along the thoroughfare under the elevated J/Z subway tracks from Forest Parkway to 109th Street, according to the Department of Transportation. As part of the first phase of the project, installations are now complete at nearly a dozen locations between 91st Street and Woodhaven Boulevard. DOT will continue installing the lighting treatments throughout the fall.
The project, which boasts poles that were first introduced to the borough at the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, was funded with $1.4 million in capital contributions from Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and Borough President Melinda Katz.
Ulrich called the lights “a victory” for Woodhaven, adding that they “will not only make our streets safer, they will also add a unique aesthetic vibe to one of the busiest commercial corridors in Queens—all at a minimal impact to our environment.”
DOT officials noted that lighting under elevated train tracks is uniquely challenging because the support columns create shadows and the elevated structure limits the height of the streetlight poles. Both of these conditions make it difficult to illuminate the sidewalks and the street.
According to DOT, funding for the project has made it possible for the agency to install new poles with LED luminaires that provide better lighting for both the street and the sidewalk. The implementation will come in phases and is possible because of the City’s commitment to upgrade LED lighting, which enhances visibility for all, boosts the look of the streetscape and saves on energy costs. LED lights are intended to help the City reduce its overall carbon footprint by more than 30 percent by the year 2030.
“Around the City, we have heard from small businesses and New Yorkers near elevated trains who feel safer and more secure when streets and sidewalks down below are more brightly lit,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “This new lighting will not only improve quality of life for commuters and shoppers along Jamaica Avenue, these new energy-efficient LED treatments provide a sustainably lit and safer retail and community environment.”
While DOT is installing the treatments from Forest Parkway to 109th Street, Trottenberg said the department will continue to work with elected officials to expand the distinctive lighting to other parts of the corridor.
