New Group Organizes to Ensure City’s Vision Zero Goals Implemented Rapidly
Given that we Forest Hillers have to somehow coexist with Queens Blvd. in our midst, this group's formation was a long time in coming—and completely inevitable. Public officials have seemed barely concerned for years with the safety of pedestrians trying to cross Queens Blvd. In fact, it seems like there is even less time to cross Queens Blvd. today than there was several years ago—about 45 seconds, which is just insane.
Also, hasn't it been fun trying to traverse Queens Blvd. with those mountains of snow blocking the pedestrian crosswalks? How is a senior citizen or someone with a disability supposed to climb those mountains of ice? You'd think someone would be assigned to shoveling out those crosswalk paths, making it safe for pedestrians to cross this 12-lane stretch of road which cuts through our neighborhood. This is a blaring example of how cars are given the priority over the safety of pedestrians in this City and it has to stop.
Anyway, here's the statement of the new Families for Safe Streets Group:
"As families whose loved ones have been killed or maimed by reckless driving and dangerous conditions on New York City's streets, we demand an end to traffic fatalities and serious injuries. We are parents, children, partners and siblings who represent the full breadth of New York's diversity. We envision a city where pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers safely co-exist, and children and adults can travel freely without risk of harm – a city where no loss of life is acceptable. In early 2014, we came together to turn our grief into action, so that no one else will have to endure our pain. We have formed a group that will serve as a force for change, to make sure the Interagency Vision Zero Working Group’s Action Plan is implemented rapidly. We will be testifying at the City Council Transportation Committee’s oversight hearing on Vision Zero on Monday the 24th."
Given that we Forest Hillers have to somehow coexist with Queens Blvd. in our midst, this group's formation was a long time in coming—and completely inevitable. Public officials have seemed barely concerned for years with the safety of pedestrians trying to cross Queens Blvd. In fact, it seems like there is even less time to cross Queens Blvd. today than there was several years ago—about 45 seconds, which is just insane.
Also, hasn't it been fun trying to traverse Queens Blvd. with those mountains of snow blocking the pedestrian crosswalks? How is a senior citizen or someone with a disability supposed to climb those mountains of ice? You'd think someone would be assigned to shoveling out those crosswalk paths, making it safe for pedestrians to cross this 12-lane stretch of road which cuts through our neighborhood. This is a blaring example of how cars are given the priority over the safety of pedestrians in this City and it has to stop.
Anyway, here's the statement of the new Families for Safe Streets Group:
"As families whose loved ones have been killed or maimed by reckless driving and dangerous conditions on New York City's streets, we demand an end to traffic fatalities and serious injuries. We are parents, children, partners and siblings who represent the full breadth of New York's diversity. We envision a city where pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers safely co-exist, and children and adults can travel freely without risk of harm – a city where no loss of life is acceptable. In early 2014, we came together to turn our grief into action, so that no one else will have to endure our pain. We have formed a group that will serve as a force for change, to make sure the Interagency Vision Zero Working Group’s Action Plan is implemented rapidly. We will be testifying at the City Council Transportation Committee’s oversight hearing on Vision Zero on Monday the 24th."
Putting aside the traffic safety issue - what about the bear hug mugger who is on the loose in Forest Hills? See this link
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140221/forest-hills/mugger-putting-victims-bear-hugs-kew-gardens-forest-hills-nypd
"How is a senior citizen or someone with a disability supposed to climb those mountains of ice?"
ReplyDeleteBy going under it via the Pedestrian Walkway via the subway.
Lots of senior citizens don't do well with stairs.
DeleteBut the elevators are not working yet, so people with walkers/wheelchairs will have a harder time going underground
DeleteThe elevators are supposed to be up and running by the end of March, so 4-6 weeks give or take.
DeleteThe elevators are scheduled to be completed next month.
DeleteSeniors with shopping carts going up and down the wet subway stairs--pure genius. And as far as the elevator is concerned, it's not a solution. They're adding only one on the south side of Queens Blvd, for the 71st/Continental stop. All well and good if the purpose is to gain access to the trains, but not if one is using the subway station as a pedestrian walkway--How does the person who took the elevator down on the south side of the Boulevard get upstairs on the north side of the Boulevard?. They don't. And it is not exactly practical to expect people to walk 6-8-10 blocks out of their way just to cross the street, especially if they are elderly or disabled to begin with, or if they are pushing a baby carriage.
ReplyDeleteWell then I guess we should just make Queens Blvd into one giant pedestrian plaza then.
DeleteI wonder if any cost benefit analysis was done before they committed to the project. This buildout has lasted for 2+ years (not exaggerating), costing untold millions of dollars and has inconvenienced a ton of people, not to mention the businesses regardless of what you think about t-bone diner, Fay Da etc.
DeleteContinuing form the previous post, I'm totally in favor for making accommodations for people with disabilities and the elderly, but like the original poster said, they should have considered the same project for the other side of queens blvd where there there are more residential buildings and a shorter timeframe for project completion. There's no way this project to build out one elevator should have taken this long and costed so much.
DeleteOn top of that, this better not end up being a typical NYC public elevator that breaks down all the time.
Delete