‘Kamikaze’ block will become a one-way street

After months of waiting for an answer from the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park and residents of 84th Street learned the agency has agreed to convert the narrow street from a two-way to a one-way.
“It’s a major victory for the people of 84th Street and Ozone Park,” said Eric Ulrich, president of Our Neighbors Civic Association. He said that the group worked with Councilmember Joseph Addabbo’s office, Community Board 9 and residents of the block to make the appeal to the DOT. “If it weren’t for our efforts, people would still be living on a speedway.”
Currently, 84th Street between Liberty Avenue and Atlantic Avenue allows for two-way traffic, despite the narrowness of the street, Ulrich said, which creates a “kamikaze situation whereby speedy cars dodge each other and routinely swipe mirrors off parked cars on both sides of the street.”
Rosemary Kulick, a resident of 84th Street, obtained the signatures from her neighbors for the civic group in December of last year. “If you ever come near this block and observe it, it’s unbelievable,” she said.
The DOT conducted a study of the street and agreed with the recommendation of residents. “Due to the narrow roadway width (29 feet) and a high demand for parking on this residential street, we believe that a one-way conversion would improve traffic safety in the area,” DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy wrote in a July letter to Addabbo. “Because of these factors, coupled with the Department’s goal to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety wherever possible, we recommend that 84th Street be converted to one-way northbound from Liberty Avenue to Atlantic Avenue.”
Along with changing the direction of 84th Street, the DOT also wants to make changes to streets nearby. “In addition, after a careful review of traffic circulation in the area, we noted that 86th Street runs southbound from Atlantic Avenue to 101st Avenue and northbound from 103rd Avenue to 101st Avenue,” McCarthy wrote. “In order to improve traffic circulation in the area, we propose that 86th Street be reversed to one-way southbound from 101st Avenue to 103rd Avenue, making the entire segment of 86th Street one-way southbound.”
The next step for the proposed changes will be CB 9’s approval, which district manager Mary Ann Carey said should be inevitable. “The transportation committee is going to review it and the community board is expected to meet in September and approve it,” she said.
Addabbo said this change has been anticipated for a long time. “Since I was a civic president in the 90s, 84th Street has been a very dangerous roadway.” 84th Street south of Liberty Avenue is dangerous because of speeds, he said, but the expected changes to the street north of Liberty are welcome. “This is something the residents want and it makes the area safer.” However, he added, “The battle for 84th Street continues.”