Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Council Candidate Calls on DOT to Take Action on Alderton Street

(Kew Gardens, NY) -- Today, 29th Council District candidate Mel Gagarin sent DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy a petition he circulated, from residents in Rego Park requesting that measures be implemented to curtail speeding along Alderton Street, on the heels of growing complaints and recent accident. Residents want the DOT to act before a more tragic event occurs.

"Make no mistake; this is not going to be an easy fight. I worked a very similar case during my tenure in Congressman Weiner's office involving the 73rd Avenue corridor by P.S. 200 in Fresh Meadows. It took a teacher being killed before DOT initiated a traffic study. Now we have neighbors once again concerned with speeding along a street that passes in front of a school and DOT once again dragging their feet," said Gagarin.

While two speed bumps currently exist their location does little to nothing in curtailing speeding along the main stretch of Alderton Street, particularly the stretch that runs along the path of P.S. 174 according to area residents. Despite School Crossing and stop signs along the stretch residents complained to Gagarin that drivers pay little heed to the signage if at all. When the Forest Hills Times reported on the problem in August, a DOT spokesman essentially balked at installing any new traffic measures.

“DOT has a responsibility to the taxpayers in Rego Park who are asking for a common sense solution to a potentially fatal problem,” said Gagarin.

Gagarin plans to continue the petition drive so everyone that wants their complaints heard by DOT has an opportunity to be heard.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally, someone is actually trying to get something done.

Anonymous said...

I've pleaded for years to get a stop sign installed at another Forest Hills location and Katz just is useless. But I kept my "rejection" letters from her office so when someone is killed I'll publish them.

Anonymous said...

if katz sent rejection letters it was because she did try to get a stop sign. in case you didn't know DOT has the final word. They do the traffic study, not Katz... and then they DOT determine whether or not the intersection warrants a stop sign. everyone thinks they can do a better job.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous #3 Stop signs and lights cost money. DOT determines they don't want to spend money = community screwed. You put too much faith in an agency that doesn't get what's going on everyday on your street.

Anonymous said...

And who in the Bloomberg administration or the council will listen to this whiner.

He brags about his work with Weiner yet Weiner won't endorse him?

What does Weiner know that we don't?

Anonymous said...

He will only put up a fight if he can get press coverage

Anonymous said...

I live on Alderton and he's doing more than any of you whiners.

Anonymous said...

Another accident occurred tonight. Car flipped over after speeding down street.

Let's put up our own stop signs.

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