It took many years of fighting, but the city finally listened to Long Island City residents and installed two all-way stop signs at the corner of 46th Avenue and 5th Street in Long Island City.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and Department of Transportation (DOT) officials joined local residents at the intersection on Jan. 17 to celebrate the installation of the signs. Van Bramer had spent seven years pushing the DOT to install the signs at the corner, which is close to P.S./I.S. 78, Queens West Sports Field and the Dog Park of Gantry Plaza State Park.
“Nothing is more important than keeping our children safe, and the installation of this new stop sign is a hard-earned victory for the parents, students, and residents of Long Island City,” said Van Bramer.
Van Bramer and DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia joined members of the Gantry Parent Association, parents, faculty and P.S./I.S. 78 elementary school students for the unveiling. Three of the students hugged one of the stop signs before Van Bramer spoke.
After initially denying Van Bramer’s request for a stop sign, the DOT re-evaluated this intersection for an all-way stop sign, as part of an ongoing effort to review streets in this growing and dynamic neighborhood and implement traffic and safety enhancements.
The DOT installed the stop signs in early January and had previously installed a curb extension to calm traffic at this location. In the Spring of 2018 the DOT painted the crosswalk on 46th Avenue to help deter rolling stops.
“DOT is committed to working in Long Island City to make this growing community’s streets safer for everyone who uses them,” said Garcia.
The commissioner assured those in attendance that the DOT acted with appropriate speed when it came installing the stop signs. Garcia mentioned that the DOT had to repeatedly study vehicle and foot traffic in the area with each speed deterring measure they took.
“This is a science,” said Garcia. In a press release, she added that the agency “is committed to working in Long Island City to make this growing community’s streets safer for everyone who uses them.”
