From the Daily News:A plan to speed traffic to JFK Airport by closing down two exit ramps on the Van Wyck Expressway is facing tough opposition from Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and three community boards.
Under the proposal, crafted by the city's Economic Development Corp. and Department of Transportation, the Jamaica Ave. off-ramp on the northbound side would be closed along with the Liberty Ave. off-ramp on the southbound side.
City officials have said the closings would reduce car accidents on the busy highway while cutting travel time to the airport.
EDC officials had originally told borough officials that they hoped to start the this plan this summer. But that timetable appears to have changed.
Jamaica Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center located on the southbound service road of the Van Wyck, sits in the middle of the proposed closure zone. Hospital officials have said they fear that closing exits will make it tougher for ambulances and staffers to get to the facility.
Marshall, along with representatives of Community Boards 9, 10 and 12 - whose neighborhoods would be affected by the plan - met with EDC and Transportation officials last week to hash out their concerns.
9 comments:
What's Helen's plan include; closing the Hospital itself? Outsource care to emergency needs to Brooklyn and Manhattan and onto New Jersey? She allowed 3 Queens hospitals to close in the last 2 years - who does she represent - Somalia?
And why, pray tell, is EDC involved in traffic planning in the first place?
And why, pray tell, is EDC involved in traffic planning in the first place?
GREAT question!
Great idea! Everyone who uses these exits will now stay home and traffic will greatly improve. Morons. This will just divert traffic to the nearby exits and the service roads and local streets.
EDC is involved PRECISELY because no one cares about the locals. The goal here is to speed traffic to and from MANHATTAN to JFK. EDC would very much love traffic off the Van Wyck and onto local streets.
The EDC? They are assholes just like the empire state development corp.
It makes no sense. If exits are closed, you cannot get off when traffic is jammed. It would make more sense to close the entrances it anything. Still no a good Idea. What happened to the train to the plane that would go the length of Van Wyke?
Van Wyck is a parking lot 90% of the time anyway. God help you if your ambulance gets on in the first place...better off taking streets, that's what the lights and sirens are for.
Interesting that EDC seems to have waited until all 3 Community Boards broke for the summer to make this stupid idea public.
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