The NYC Parks Department has made several safety improvements at the Forest Park entrance near Myrtle Avenue in Glendale to prevent vehicles from driving into the park.
According to a spokesperson from the NYC Parks Department, solar-powered lights were installed to increase visibility, and steel bollards were installed to prevent cars from accessing the greenway near the entrance at Forest Park Entrance.
According to Gary Giordano, district manager at Queens Community Board Five (CB5), his office requested NYC Parks to add better security to protect the park’s entrance.
“The problem is that we’re fearful that a driver could get out of control by taking that turn too fast and wind up in the new park,” Giordano said.
NYC Parks remodeled the Forest Park entrance near Myrtle Avenue in 2021, expanding bike and pedestrian access. Part of that renovation included extending the dead end before the ramp on the Jackie Robinson Parkway.
Since then, the Parks Department has addressed further safety issues at the park entrance, which included removing park benches.
“God forbid some driver gets out of control and into that park area. At least nobody will be sitting on a bench there,” Giordano said.
The Parks Department said they are working with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to continue adding more safety measures to the park entrance.
“We are coordinating with DOT to explore additional means to increase safety,” said the NYC Parks spokesperson. “We support better pedestrian/cyclist safety in this area and hear the concerns of the community, which we are working to address.”
