Green Backs Queens Boulevard Calming Plan
Last week, NYC Public Advocate Mark Green proposed a list of six low-cost
measures to increase pedestrian safety along Queens Boulevard. Speeding
traffic and short crossing times were listed in a New York City DOT report
as main reasons that there have been 73 pedestrian deaths along the Boulevard
since 1993 (MTR
#280).
Green's proposals are:
-
Increase crossing time for pedestrians.
-
Widen the medians.
-
Set traffic lights so that cars are not encouraged to travel faster than
the speed limit.
-
Delay the green light signal for tuning vehicles.
-
Install raised crosswalks.
-
Install red light cameras.
He also suggested pursuing federal funding for a plan to re-make the boulevard
into a more pedestrian-friendly street, like that planned for the Bronx'
Grand Concourse.
Green's suggestions are in tune with recommendations from transportation
reform advocates and community groups to return the road to "Boulevard"
status (MTR
#299).
They contrast sharply with Mayor Giuliani's approach, which has recommended
very minor fixes along the boulevard and, recently, unsustainably heavy
deployment of police. The city administration's latest suggestion is
to build pedestrian bridges over the boulevard, which would give
the streetscape even more of a cars-first, highway character.
