An open letter to Whitestone residents:
There is a planned, one-way conversion of 11th and 12th avenues between 152nd and 154th streets.
A request was made to Community Board 7 on behalf of the Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Association to convert these streets to one-way streets to alleviate traffic problems — which only occur one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon on school days.
Is this going to change the amount of parents who feel the need to drive their children to school or change their driving habits? Is this going to make it safer for the children, which they claim?
One-ways make people drive faster. Children being dropped off on 12th Avenue on the lefthand side, anxious to see their friends, will swing open the passenger-side door and get hit.
Joe Franco is planning a huge catering hall on 154th Street between 11th and 12th avenues. This will take up half a block. Does anyone really believe he will have his deliveries made by small, box-type trucks? What about the catering trucks? These trucks will have to pass the school on both streets to get back onto a truck route like 154th Street. And let’s not forget about the luncheon affairs for up to 300 people.
How can this be safer for the children, especially during the summer when they visit the park?
CB 7 put fliers on the homes on 11th and 12th avenues Oct. 22 after 4 p.m. for the Oct. 25 Monday meeting. People were not given enough notice.
CB 7 held the meeting anyway and voted 17-15 for the conversion.
The city Department of Transportation said the board Transportation Committee chairwoman visited each of the homes on the affected blocks, yet no one can remember.
Petitions were circulated on 11th and 12th avenues and 12th Road. All but a handful were against the conversion. In the immediate area, 125, including the businesses, are opposed. These signatures should have been given special consideration since they are the ones most affected. We are in possession of at least 100 more, but the DOT does not care.
We need to take a stand before it becomes another College Point. Many believe this is harmful to the safety of our children and the community.
Gene Kelty of CB 7 and the DOT do not want our voices heard. As taxpayers and homeowners, we deserve to be heard.
Please contact your local officials before it is too late.
Audrey Neilan
Whitestone
