Queens Blvd. Merchant Decry:

Nowhere To Park Along The Boulevard
Peter Benedetto, manager of The Family Restaurant in Forest Hills, said since the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) yanked three parking meters from the front of his 73 Rd. restaurant two weeks ago, business has gone downhill. "Business is down 30 to 35 percent," said Benedetto. "I dont understand why they had to take them. This is a terrible idea. All I want are my meters back."
Replacing the meters in front of the restaurant is a "No standing, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m." sign. Intended strictly for delivery purposes, Benedetto said the spots now go almost completely unused, while many of his customers can find no place to park.
The eatery owner pleaded his case to representatives from the DOT and Borough President Claire Shulmans office at a recent Community Board 6 meeting.
However, DOT spokesman Tom Cocola told The Queens Courier that the tearing down of the meters on 73 Rd. had little to do with the "traffic calming program," and more to do with adding room for trucks to unload. "Clearly, the next month will be a transition time," said Cocola. "And we apologize for the inconvenience." The spokesman said that there are no plans to return the meters.
The DOTs hope is that by adding parking to the innermost and outermost lanes of the Boulevards service road, traffic will slow down as vehicles merge onto the main four-lane roadway.
Known to many residents as the "Boulevard of Death," Queens Blvd. has claimed 74 lives, including two thus far this year.