The city wants to go “one way,” but the community wants to go another.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed turning 84th Avenue between Lefferts Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue from a two-way street to a one-way eastbound thoroughfare. Several residents spoke out to Community Board 9 on Tuesday, September 11 against the proposal, saying it would make the street incredibly dangerous to live on.
“I’m not sure making 84th Avenue one way will do anything but increase the speed, force traffic on to 85th and possibly even 86th Avenue,” said Dominic Pistone, president of the Kew Gardens Civic Association. “I don’t really know why this was proposed. If anything, when you make a street one way people tend to go faster on it because they don’t have to worry about hitting anybody going the opposite direction. It’s a dumb idea.”
Every resident on 84th Street who appeared before the community board spoke against the conversion.
Among worries about speeding, residents were also concerned about double-parking on the street, parking on blind corners and delivery trucks blocking traffic while delivering to The Atria, a senior living residence.
“It’s bad enough as it is,” said John Kenny, who lives on 84th Avenue. “If the DOT wants a study they can come to my yard at 5:30 in the morning…and can see what’s going on.”
“DOT received a request from the Borough President’s office to review the feasibility of conversion 84th Avenue between Lefferts Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue from two-ways to one way westbound,” a DOT spokesperson said in an email. “While DOT analysis shows that a conversion would be feasible, the agency is awaiting a Community Board vote on the matter before proceeding further.”
