The city installed a new traffic light at the entrance to Broad Channel, Councilman Eric Ulrich announced Monday, Jan. 25.
The new safety measure, located at First Road and Cross Bay Boulevard, allows for safe access to the Broad Channel Athletic Club, and calms traffic in a highly congested area.
“For years the community has been fighting to see safety improvements at the entrance to Broad Channel. Our office has been working tirelessly to make this intersection safer for both pedestrians and motorists alike,” Ulrich said. “Today, I am pleased to share that DOT has installed a traffic light at First Road and Cross Bay Boulevard, and the light is already up and running. This is a huge win for our community. I would like to thank the Broad Channel Civic Association, my colleagues in government, and DOT for their partnership on this project.”
Community leaders and residents of Broad Channel have campaigned for the traffic light at the dangerous intersection for more than a decade, noting the condition was especially hazardous for the hundred of children who visit the ballfields at the Broad Channel Athletic Club.
“This is great news. For years we have been requesting this traffic light to address the dangerous situation parents faced as they attempted to turn across Cross Bay Boulevard to enter the Broad Channel Athletic Club Ballfield,” Broad Channel Civic Association President Dan Mundy said. “Councilman Ulrich personally lobbied DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, and his efforts paved the way for this much-needed traffic light, which will not only create a safe means for parents to access the ballfield, but will also help to slow down traffic as it enters our town. The Civic Association is grateful to Councilman Ulrich for his perseverance in fighting this battle for so long, and for making this happen.”
Trottenberg has since stepped down from her position to serve in the new Biden administration as Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Transportation. DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia said the installation of the traffic light would “create safer conditions in the area” for residents and those who travel to and from the Broad Channel Athletic Club.
“This will help keep the residents of the community safe, especially the children that frequent the popular Broad Channel Athletic Club fields,” state Senator Joseph Addabbo said. “This group of elected officials have been working hard for years alongside community activists, such as the Broad Channel Civic Association, to see this change be made, and I couldn’t be happier to the Broad Channel community for getting this done. This is a fine example of how government should work, the community, elected officials and government agencies working collaboratively together to benefit the general public.”
The new traffic signal will help bolster access to Jamaica Bay Greenway’s pedestrian and bicycle path, as well as help improve safety for all road users, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The new infrastructure is part of the DOT’s ongoing comprehensive strategy to upgrade the two-way protected lane on Cross Bay Boulevard, between the Addabbo Bridge and East First Road in Broad Channel.
“The installation of this new traffic light, along with numerous safety improvements along Cross Bay Boulevard, marks another milestone in making Broad Channel a safer community for all,” Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato said. “Broad Channel residents can walk with confidence through their streets, or take their kids to an event at the athletic club without fear, and that is great news for everyone.”
