By Sophia Chang
For years, cars would leave the expressway two at a time at Exit #7, the last exit from the northbound Clearview before the Throgs Neck Bridge. With no lane markings, many simply assumed the large swath of tarmac was two lanes. The confusion was compounded by a road sign at the traffic light just beyond the exit that has two arrows, one pointing to Willets Point Boulevard to the west and the other to Bell Boulevard and Fort Totten to the east.But in 2003, the state Department of Transportation painted striped lane markers to indicate a single exit lane, creating a bottleneck situation for the many residents who live in the shadow of the Clearview Expressway as well as for commuters trying to pick up groceries at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, get to Clearview Park or go home. “The traffic backup to use this exit has been as many as 50 cars at a time, often taking 15-20 minutes just to exit the highway at this location,” said City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside). “Prior to the re-striping, everyone thought it was two lanes.”At Avella's behest, the Department of Transportation is now considering making two official lanes at the Willets Point/Bell boulevards exit.”I am pleased to inform you that we are currently in the process of securing the services of a design consultant to further investigate and initiate a project to widen and restripe the existing ramp to a two-lane exit,” said Douglas Currey, the Department of Transportation's Regional II director, in a letter to Avella.While it was unclear when the work would begin, Avella said he was pleased with the response.”This is welcome news to any motorist who has sat there for what seems like an eternity, waiting to exit,” he said in a release.Reach reporter Sophia Chang by e-mail at news@timesledger.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
