On Wednesday, residents at a community board meeting complained that one change made last week — a ban on northbound traffic making left turns onto Queens Boulevard from Yellowstone Boulevard — had confused drivers and caused chaos in the area.
Community Board 6 Chairman Joe Hennessy said that the board, which covers Forest Hills and Rego Park, had questioned the DOT about the traffic “being pushed into the side streets" as a result.
Drivers who seek to turn onto Queens Boulevard must continue to drive on Yellowstone Boulevard through residential areas and look for alternative routes leading back to Queens Boulevard, according to the plan posted on the DOT's website.
There are no signs indicating which way to go.
“It’s very confusing,” said Stephen Melnick, a longtime Forest Hills resident. “I think they are just pushing the problem a few blocks away.
"They are doing the good thing on Queens Boulevard but at the same time they may be creating another problem along those side streets.”
12 comments:
How do idiots like this ever get a license?
DOT says the same northbound left turn ban at 51St Ave showed a 67% reduction in pedestrian injuries and a 58% reduction in motor vehicle injuries.
Sounds like a good idea here too.
This is confusing? Sounds like the kind of driver that honks at pedestrians in unmarked crosswalks thinking they are jaywalking. Some people just don't have to skillset to drive.
At least they didn't put in a bike lane...
I know that intersection very well. I cross there every day and see traffic crossing Queens Blvd backed up because traffic is trying to make a left from Yellowstone into Queens Blvd. The new traffic pattern will have to be enforced as there is just so much traffic here. And when you add in bikers who go through the light and wiggle through stalled traffic and jaywalkers not paying attention, it gets extremely dangerous here.
I have been watching the "confusion" from my terrace, and despite the noise, enjoyed watching DOT or its contractor obliterating the white arrows in the former left turn lane on Yellowstone at 10:30 pm on Friday. What is so confusing about No Left Turn signs and the large electronic billboard which confirms the signs? I didn't see any press about the change, so perhaps people were more surprised than confused. I'm seeing fewer morons making left turns as the days go by. This intersection has been hellish for a long time and I appreciate DOT's efforts to improve it.
"DOT says the same northbound left turn ban at 51St Ave showed a 67% reduction in pedestrian injuries and a 58% reduction in motor vehicle injuries."
Yeah, when it's actually followed! I live nearby and see numerous cars ignore and violate that prohibition, both northbound and southbound on 51st Ave and make the left, blocking traffic and speeding past pedestrians all the time, throughout the day.
Posted signs do not mean anything if there's no enforcement of them via cameras or officers and drivers know that.
I'm just happy that the city is finally doing something at this intersection. I nearly got hit by a turning car last month. I agree that there is a lot of traffic, including trucks that now have to find another place to turn. Give DOT a few months to iron things out. Don't PANIC!
Of course the city will have to make this project a revenue generator. Cameras should be going up soon.
A camera here is a good idea anon. Use the revenue to pay for the work done on the intersection. A lot of other trouble spots could get rebuilt safer if there was money too.
Didn't Cuomo just give the city $25 million for Vision Zero projects? I'd imagine that this project on Queens Blvd would be paid out of that.
That pays for just a few redesigns. Much more funding is needed to idiot proof the roads because we let everybody drive. Letting idiot scofflaw motorists cover the bill or at least part of it seems appropriate.
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