CB 11 Fights To Save Pedestrian Lives

In light of the recent death of Joseph Baik, the 8-year-old boy killed while riding his bicycle near the Horace Harding Expressway, Community Board 11 has sent a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT), addressing the hazards of the new Cloverdale Bridge and imploring it to "safeguard all pedestrian bridges in Queens County and the rest of New York City."
The letter criticized the dimensions of the bridge, a pedestrian overpass across the Long Island Expressway, which has a 20-foot opening at the bottom of the 10-foot-wide, 180-foot-long ramp.
"This wide opening almost guarantees that a young, inexperienced cyclist catapulting down this long ramp may very well shoot out into the traffic of the service road," reads the letter, alluding to the tragic death of Baik.
Moreover, the letter, written by board chairman Jerry Iannece, called on the citys DOT to introduce safety requirements for all bridges built in the city.
"At the very least New York State or the DOT should have regulations and standards," the letter read. "We are putting pressure on local and state officials to have a two-pronged approach we want the state legislature to mandate that the DOT have minimum safety requirements, and after that, the city should inspect to see what other steps should be taken in addition."
The community boards letter also outlined a number of potential solutions to ameliorate the situation and prevent further tragedy.
These include:
The placement of baffles across the 10-foot dimension at the bottom of the ramp.
More signage.
Markings on the left lane adjacent to the end of the bridge in order to divert traffic to the right, away from the exit/entry of the bridge.
The prohibition of parking at least 100 feet ahead and beyond the bridge.
The boards survey also found that the bridge at Fresh Meadow Lane exhibits distinct hazards, as well as those located at 136th, 148th and 159th Streets.
In a response letter, DOTs Queens Borough Commissioner, Constance Moran, wrote: "DOT engineers have begun to analyze and evaluate the conditions and traffic patterns surrounding pedestrian bridges throughout the five boroughs to develop measures that will increase the safety of all pedestrians and bicyclists using them."
In the letter, Moran said DOT is considering fencing, signage and traffic controls where appropriate to encourage bicyclists and pedestrians to come to a full stop at the end of an overpass, before proceeding to cross the roadway.