By Bill Parry
The city Department of Transportation has begun construction on a redesign of 21st Street, a dangerous 2-mile long stretch of roadway in Astoria that often resembles a speedway. There have been five fatalities and 19 pedestrians injured along the street between 2009 and 2013, according to DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, who joined elected officials and community leaders at the spotlast Friday.
“We launched Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative in Queens over a year ago,” Trottenberg said. “And every day we see the difference these safety projects have made throughout the world’s borough, from 21st Street to Queens Boulevard and beyond.”
The corridor safety improvements for 21st Street between Hoyt Avenue South and Queens Plaza were approved by Community Board 1 in March. The DOT has already installed Leading Pedestrian Intervals at ten intersections, giving those trying to cross the 60-foot roadway an extra seven seconds. The intervals provide pedestrian-only walk time before vehicles receive a green light.
“It’s an amazing step forward. Getting milk should not be a dangerous endeavor,” City Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) said. “This street is more like a highway than a street, with heavy trucks speeding between bridges and tunnels. These Vision Zero improvements will make the street home to major senior and youth developments, safer for pedestrians and drivers from across the community.”
The project will include a new pedestrian crossing at 29th Avenue through a new traffic signal; enhanced lighting to improve visibility at night by upgrading existing street lights to brighter LED lights; improved land markings and 12 painted curb extensions to shorten the crossing distance at nine intersections.
“For too long 21st Street has been known as a deadly speedway and the improvements we are introducing will help put an end to the reckless driving that has claimed too many lives,” City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. “I applaud Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and the DOT for hearing the neighborhood’s concerns and implementing concrete solutions that will begin improving traffic safety for all residents of Astoria, Ravenswood and Queensbridge.”
Several civic leaders had more praise for Trottenberg. April Simpson, President of the Queensbridge Tenants Association, called her “a lovely beast” for all of her accomplishments in the area over the last 1 1/2 years.
Bob Piazza, the longtime chairman of CB1’s Transportation Committee, said, “She’s the only commissioner who came to Astoria and knew each of our trouble spots — 21st, 31st Street and Vernon Boulevard. Each with a different set of problems and she’s fixing them all.”
The project is expected to be completed in just a few weeks.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
