DOT killing small businesses in Ozone Park

From the Daily News:

A city plan to boost safety for pedestrians on a busy commercial street in Ozone Park is turning into a slow death sentence for nearby stores, merchants said.

The Department of Transportation made Liberty Ave. one-way eastbound between 93rd St. and Cross Bay Blvd. in November as part of a project to alleviate congestion.

The agency put bollards on Liberty Ave., forcing motorists to turn right onto Cross Bay Blvd. Now, the once-bustling block between 93rd St. and Cross Bay Blvd. is deserted, locals said.

"This is a dead block now," said Fabian Niaupari, owner of Terra Nova Bakery on Liberty Ave. "I had to let go of three employees a month after the change and things keep getting worse."

Niaupari, who bought the bakery four years ago, said drivers used to stop for breakfast and continue on to Rockaway Blvd. "Now they have to go around and drive four blocks to get there. Nobody wants to do that," he said.

Mukesh Patel, owner of Ram Stationary, a greeting card store, said his business is down 50% since the change.

"If the DOT wanted to make things better, they should have adjusted the traffic lights in the intersection," he said.