Wednesday, August 29, 2018

DOT is at it again


From the Queens Tribune:

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) and Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) are calling on the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) not to follow through on plans to expand loading zones on Austin Street’s busy commercial strip.

Hevesi and Koslowitz said that they are attempting to facilitate a dialogue among the DOT and the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce and local business merchants, who say that the expansion of the zones would limit parking for their customers.

The DOT has proposed a variety of changes to Austin Street, including new 60-foot loading zones that would provide 36 spaces with 30-minute limits for trucks. The zones could be utilized from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday through Friday.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., there would be eight loading zones providing 24 spaces, while three loading zones with nine spaces would be available between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

“If the businesses that these loading zones are intended to help are against them, then what is the point of this proposal?” Hevesi said. “Unless the DOT provides some reasonable explanation, then this remains an unnecessary solution in search of a problem.”

In a statement, a DOT spokeswoman said that the aim of the initiative is to establish curbside regulations that help to ease congestion and promote safety.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

DOT knows shit!

Anonymous said...

DOT here is the absolute DUMBEST bunch of idiots ever seen. These are the morons who came up with red painted bus lanes causing unbelievable congestion on major thoroughfares. These are the morons who came up with bike lanes. Who apparently are OK with worn away street lane markings---hey, what's a little accident between friends? Who apparently are perfectly fine with numerous potholes and rippled street surfaces---hey, it's good for local car repair businesses. Who eliminated many parking spaces in Forest Hills at the corners of residential streets for absolutely no apparent reason. What does it take to be a planner at DOT---a head injury?

Anonymous said...

The Mayor won't be happy until every single mom & pops in Queens is out of business.

Anonymous said...

Im suprised they didn't try to jam a protected bike lane in there no one would use.

TommyR said...

The transformation of Austin into another boring, bougey stretch of chain stores is nearly complete, and Cord Meyers smiles in his grave. Time was we used to relegate that necessary, but soul-less, retail spaces to where they belonged- mall complexes.

Anonymous said...

there are always open spots close to fire hydrants there and the truck will park in the driving lane even if they fit. Same thing with the loading zones, trucks won't use them

Anonymous said...

Loading zones? Who need loading zones. Just let the trucks double park and block traffic.

Anonymous said...

"there are always open spots close to fire hydrants there and the truck will park in the driving lane even if they fit."

Many companies will hold drivers financially liable for un-fightable tickets like fire hydrants and bus stops. That's why drivers will often block the street instead of park next to a hydrant or in a bus stop.

Anonymous said...

>un-fightable tickets like fire hydrants and bus stops

How is double parking "fightable" but hydrants and bus stops not?