I cannot believe what is happening. They are at it again. Have you any idea what is happening to our beautiful Bayside as far as erecting street signs and traffic control devices? I hope someone takes notice and does something about this situation.
The brainiacs at the city Department of Transportation are at it again. This time, they decided to turn 216th Street between Northern Boulevard and 46th Avenue into a one-way street heading north. This had always been a two-way street heading north and south. It has been that way since the horse and buggy days. What provoked this change? Turn that street back into a two-way street.
Some time ago, I wrote to these brainiacs and asked them to restore 46th Avenue between Springfield and Cloverdale boulevards back into a two-way street, the way it was many years ago, so traffic entering Northern Boulevard from the Dunkin’ Donuts or Wendy’s establishments that wanted to head west could easily make three right turns and then a left onto Northern Boulevard without interfering with traffic or idling engines and wasting fuel in order to head west on Northern Boulevard. But nothing was accomplished.
I also wrote about changing the traffic signals at the intersection of Bell and Northern boulevards so that, when the left turn signal is flashing for traffic facing south to turn left from Bell Boulevard onto Northern Boulevard in order to head east, a simultaneous signal be installed so that traffic facing north may be permitted to turn left onto Northern Boulevard to head west.
As it stands now, traffic facing north trying to turn left onto Northern Boulevard from Bell Boulevard must stand still in the middle of the intersection and wait for traffic heading south on Bell Boulevard to pass. By this time, the lights in the east/west direction have changed and those unfortunate drivers are caught in the middle. This is a dangerous situation, but nothing was accomplished.
Another incident I wrote about was the inundation of “no standing” signs that have been placed sporadically throughout the Bayside area. These signs take away our precious parking spaces and do not have a significant objective other than to do just that. A four-way stop sign would be more efficient. Any driver who cannot negotiate crossing an intersection with a four-way stop sign should not be permitted to be behind the wheel driving. The signs must be taken down and four-way stop signs erected in their places.
The DOT has sent an investigation team to assess the situations I have written about, but only to report to the DOT commissioner that the situation does not justify any change. This, to me, is a lack of common sense and, as far as I am concerned, the DOT team and the commissioner should be replaced with people who have foresight and common sense.
It is time to take action before they think of something else that will disrupt our neighborhood.
Martin Schwartz
Bayside
