Approximately 90 businesses in Downtown Jamaica are struggling with the recent changes in the area. With new development came trucks and with the implementation of busways in Archer and Jamaica avenues, drivers have fewer parking options and receive more traffic tickets.
Leran Ruben, the owner of Beverly Hills Furniture at 149-01 Jamaica Ave., said that he had no problem with the development or the busways at first because the new transit lanes would have a loading spot for trucks being used in the area to prevent street traffic and could potentially increase the number of new consumers in the community.
However, he says, city workers — particularly members of the NYPD Forensics Laboratory at 150-14 Jamaica Ave. — have been abusing their placards by parking in the truck loading area, causing more traffic in Downtown Jamaica and driving away customers who were already struggling with getting around the shopping district.
“This space was put in place so that trucks could unload over here and not double-park to cause traffic,” said Ruben, a third-generation storeowner. “We even have placard vehicles in the bus lane.”
When the Queens Chronicle came to visit Beverly Hills Furniture on Feb. 4, there was a parked vehicle with a placard in front of the store at the truck-loading spot and a row of vehicles in the busway in front of King Manor Museum at 150-03 Jamaica Ave.
“Nobody is going to get ticketed,” said Ruben as a police car drove by. “Nobody cares.”
Straphangers getting off the bus also have to disembark into the street instead of at the curb, according to Ruben.
“Why should a passenger on a bus have to load and be unloaded into the street? It’s unsafe,” said Ruben while pointing to a sign that directed traffic off Jamaica Avenue unless it was a bus or truck. “Why are [city workers] getting special privileges?”
What infuriated Ruben the most was that there was an underutilized six-floor parking lot for the forensics team next to the lab on 150th Street as another placard vehicle was parked in the Q54/Q56 bus stop.
“The crime lab is where the green scaffolding is and this is their parking lot,” said Ruben as he walked to the parking lot. “From my understanding, they have reserved spots for employees. If you are doing shifts, working four days and working 40 hours, the rest of the time your spot is empty. Instead of rotating spots they just park here.”
At the parking lot, one level was empty at approximately 11 a.m. while other levels had either a few available spots or were more than 50 percent empty.
After leaving the parking lot, Ruben motioned toward the corner street across from it where anyone could park, but more placard vehicles, which were partially on the sidewalk, occupied the space.
“There is one street where you are allowed to park,” said Ruben. “It’s still all police vehicles. Is this fair? Everyone has a placard and they are here for hours. If you are a customer, how do you get here? If you come here, you are going to circle the block and be here for 20 minutes.”
Ruben believes there wouldn’t have been a need for a 24/7 busway to reduce traffic in the area if the initial problem of double-parking, which exists partially because of city workers with placards, was taken care of with ticketing in the first place.
14 comments:
double-parking, which exists partially because of city workers with placards
Not just city workers. There are a bunch of vehicles with "G" plates - federal government vehicles - who work at the military recruiting center on Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street who have been doing the same thing for many years. Apparently, they must be so out of shape that they are unable to park on 165th Street, or in the private lot behind the strip mall for the mall tenants. Or, just too lazy. Here's three vehicles parked outside the Jamaica career center on Google Street View back in November 2020. The right lane on Jamaica Avenue has been buses only for many years, so those "heroes" who work there have been abusing their federal plates for even longer than that.
Placard abuse is killing busy parts of the city and no-one cares. Adams was the single biggest abuser of placards plus is a cop so this will not get fixed for at least 4 years. Killer here is that FDNY doesn't actually issue those permits. It's the FDNY unions that issue them so they are entirely illegal. Try you congressman or local city council member.
ron s said...
I've been to downtown Jamacia a few times this month and the traffic was fine.
I don't drive a "Monster" car just my Chevy Spark...
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
There must be a doughnut shop nearby.
I grew up shopping in Jamaica. "Improvements" have been killing Jamaica for decades, since they took down the el. The hodgepodge of "truck only" or "bus only" and "no left (or right) turn" and double lines compelling cars to leave Jamaica Avenue, not to mention illegally parked vehicles blocking lanes is too much. I recently drove down Jamaica Avenue, frustrated at the numerous signs on the sidewalk, overhead, and on the pavement. At one point I realized I was driving where NO cars were allowed but didn't know how to get out of it. I later got a "warning" notice from the city (one of the cameras caught me). Forget it. I just won't go there any more. Is that what the City wants?
No worries Mr Ruben, NYC was sold to the UN and now we are working on equity, sustainability and the great fucking reset.
~Comrade Schwab, Klaus the Nazi.
Car totalitarians destroying the city as usual.
Car totalitarians destroying the city as usual.
You mind is destroyed, commie.
All those cars with Placards in the window should be ticketed and towed. Any car with a placard in it should go through this. What gives them extra privilege over my car
All of the sudden, ACAB and defund the police make sense.
Why are the people who enforce the laws also immune from the laws?
@@@Why are the people who enforce the laws also immune from the laws?@@
Start with Bidet Robinette and Hildabeast Clinton
Placard abuse at every gov't building,police and fire station. Stop blocking fire hydrants,driveways,crosswalks and parking on the sidewalk. Find a parking spot or take public transportation to work like the rest of us.
Let's hope Adams keeps one promise and gets those wasters out of their cars and onto the streets. Work off that body flab, officer !
Post a Comment