April 19, 2015 By Christian Murray
It’s time to take the foot of the gas.
The Department of Transportation has started work on a 50-block slow zone that incorporates the northern section of Sunnyside and parts of Woodside.
The zone—called the “Sunnyside Gardens-Woodside Slow Zone–is the second to come to the neighborhood in the past six months. The DOT constructed a 100-block zone on the south side of Queens Blvd late last year—which it called the Sunnyside Slow Zone.
“The best way to keep everyone safe is to slow traffic,” said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who requested the slow zones. “Nothing is more important than making our streets safer for children, seniors and residents.”
43rd Ave, 43rd Street
The Sunnyside Gardens/Woodside zone, which is expected to be completed by summer, will be bound by 43rd Street to the west; Queens Blvd and Roosevelt Avenue to the south; 38th Avenue and Barnett Ave to the north; and 58th Street to the east.
The zone will include 17 speed bumps in addition to the 13 that are now there. There will also be 19 entrances to the slow zone that will be marked by the large blue 20 mph gateway sign. Many of these signs have already gone up.
Since 2007, there has been one traffic-related death in the zone, with many people severely injured, the DOT reported last year. Furthermore, there are six schools/daycare centers in the area.
The Department of Transportation claims that the speed zones help reduce injuries and deaths. Its studies indicate that a pedestrian hit at 40 mph only has a 30% chance of surviving, while one hit at 20 mph has a 95% chance of surviving.
For further details, see document below
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2014 09 02 Slow Zone Sunnyside and Sundside Gardens Woodside(1) by sunnysidepost
