A Bayside lawmaker hopes that a new traffic signal on Northern Boulevard in Douglaston will help make the road much safer.
Councilman Paul Vallone announced on Tuesday that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved the addition of a traffic signal at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and the Alley Pond Environmental Center.
“The community has asked for this for years and I’m happy that the DOT heard our call,” Vallone said. “A traffic light at this intersection will go a long way towards improving the safety of the thousands of students, parents and teachers that visit APEC each year.”
Vallone said that he had long sought the new traffic signal after years of requests from community residents. The DOT stated that the traffic signal will be installed in the coming days.
“We are very happy that the DOT has moved forward with this safety improvement. We consider APEC a real asset to the community and the addition of a traffic signal to improve pedestrian safety is very welcome,” said Victor Dadras of the Douglaston Local Development Corporation. “We have supported this for years as part of our goals for the safety of our community and we thank the DOT.”
Safety along the stretch of Northern Boulevard near APEC has been the topic of much conversation and debate, as local residents and bicyclists have debated the construction of new bike lanes along the roadway. Some claim that the bike lanes, as currently constructed, have contributed to more accidents and other problems.
