By Cristina Furlong
A little over a year ago, Make Queens Safer stood on Northern Boulevard to support Congressman Joe Crowley’s legislation, the Pedestrian Fatalities Reduction Act of 2014, in response to many crashes in our district. A string of tragedies in our borough prompted Vision Zero legislation, and we have deep appreciation for the focus on addressing a reduction of serious injuries and fatalities of pedestrians and and other road users.
We have been committed over the last year to helping to change the culture of indifference to a culture of awareness and action around the safety of “vulnerable road users” including seniors, children, cyclists and motorcyclists.
With this in mind, Make Queens Safer is asking for support for a street safety redesign for 111th Street. The Department of Transportation presented this plan in the meetings and presentations throughout April and May. This plan is recommended to reduce the dangers of a street deemed in the top third of all dangerous streets in the borough.
The people of Queens should have multi-modal streets that are safe for all, while continuing to reduce risk. The people in Queens are riding bikes for commuting, to run errands, and because it is an affordable, safe and efficient way to manage their travel needs. Make Queens Safer has been part of a broad coalition working for many years toward a bike lane, lower speeds and pedestrian safety improvements on Queens Boulevard.
Could you have ever imagined a bike lane on Queens Boulevard? It is working, and it is spectacular. One can get from Jackson Heights to Manhattan on a route that is about 80 percent bike lane.
Cristina Furlong
Co-founder
Make Queens Safer
