Whitestone stop sign fight about the kids

http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2011/46/whitestonestopsign_wt_2011_11_17_q.html


Alfredo Molinari (far r.) stands with parents and just a portion of the kids who play on the block in front of the intersection he says cars speed through. By Joe Anuta

Alfredo Molinari is second-generation — as in the second generation of residents to fight for a stop sign on a Whitestone block teeming with children.

Molinari has taken up the helm of a two-decade battle to get a stop sign on the corner of 23rd Avenue and 157th Street, which he said will go a long way to protect the roughly 30 children that play there after school and on weekends.

“I want a stop sign only for the fact kids are playing outside and I want them to be safe,” said the father of three.

But the city Department of Transportation told residents that the intersection does not have enough traffic, nor accidents, to warrant a stop sign.

Molinari has lived his entire life on the block and said that cars shoot from Francis Lewis Boulevard down 23rd Avenue to get to the heart of Whitestone and vice versa. After getting off the boulevard and encountering two stop signs, Molinari said the two-block length before the next one becomes a dangerous mix of drag strip and playground.

“They speed down the block,” he said, adding that he sometimes has to take matters into his own hands. “I threw a ball at some guy’s car.”

The avenue runs across the entire neighborhood, and out of 12 standard intersections — where a two-way street intersects another two-way street at a 90-degree angle — it is the only one without a stop sign or stoplight.

The intersections on either side are a cookie-cutter match to 23rd Avenue and 157th Street, but even the older residents who had petitioned the DOT 20 years ago for one of the red octagons were unsuccessful..

But Molinari said children should be taken into account instead of just accidents.

“The most important of all is the population of children under the age of 15 or 13 that reside on both blocks,” he said.

On Monday evening, Molinari summoned the children out to the corner in question to demonstrate how many of them play in the area.

More than 20 youngsters emerged from houses along the street, carrying balls and gliding along the sidewalk on bikes and scooters.

There were accompanied by many parents who shared Molinari’s concerns.

Molinari has circulated a petition to the households surrounding the intersection and collected a lengthy docket of signatures.

Although this is the third time he has tried, he will submit the petition to Community Board 7 and ask, once again, for the city to put up the sign.

“We’re not going to rest and give up until something happens,” he said.

Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail januta@cnglocal.com or by phone 718-260-4566.

We at the Malba Gardens Civic extend our support and offer our help in this endeavor.  Mr. Molinari is correct, the CHILDREN, must be taken into consideration.  DOT needs to step up and protect our children. 

DOE school bus fiasco Whitestone Highlight

By ERICA PITZI Staff reporter 8:35 p.m. EDT, September 22, 2011

WHITESTONE, NY (PIX11)— Parents with children who go to Junior High School 194 in Queens are scared to death for their kids new school commute.

And the kids are scared too.

"We shouldn't be able to go on the buses at our age because you never know, somebody might pick us up and steal us," 8th grader Megan Hall told PIX 11.

Parent Susan Garcia said, "I don't think they're really safe on the buses, something could happen to them."

Garcia is one of many College Point parents in this predicament since the Department of Education cut school bus service to thousands of junior high school students, including Garcia's daughter Bella.

"It is really dangerous," said Bella.

Not to mention, their school commute can take up to two hours when they live only 15 minutes away.

6th Grader Melanie Dobular explained her route to us, saying, "I go on the 76, then get on 20b, then take the 25 rest of the way."

"This is completely unacceptable - all sorts of safety issues," said NYC Councilman Dan Halloran who is trying to help change this situation for his constituents.

"We're working hard with the Department (of Education) to get waivers for some kids, and we've gotten some of these variances through but the bottom line is the city needs to take better care of these kids as a whole. Our 12-year-olds should not be worrying about how getting to school."

Councilman Halloran says his office will hold a press conference on Monday to raise even more awareness to this issue in hopes of creating change for the affected communities.

The DOE told PIX 11 the cuts came "because of the tight budget" but says it is providing eligible students with Metro Cards.

That does not address the student safety issue, so for some parents, that response is not enough.

"I don't think it's even close to enough," said Garcia.

Even the kids can tell the DOE what is good enough.

"I want them to bring back the yellow school buses," said Hall.

Copyright © 2011, WPIX-TV

wpix-children-scared-commute


http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-children-scared-commute,0,2888410.story

An open letter to Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Association, Waterside Estates, and Whitestone Boosters Beach

The Following is a letter our group sent out to Greater Whitestone Taxpayers, Waterside Estates, Whitestone Boosters, Community Board 7, and all our Elected Representatives, in the hopes of creating a true Community based effort to remedy a serious Traffic Problem.

After meeting with our members last night, several of which belong to Whitestone Taxpayers as well. There were several concerns that were voiced regarding the problem on 5th avenue. While the discussion of getting enforcement was a good start, it is unfortunately a temporary fix, as the minute PD is not present for more than a day the trucks will be back. There is also the fact that as per DOT 107 cars per hour travel on our small residential street with 33% of those cars speeding . This too needs to be addressed, as it creates a seriously dangerous situation.


Our goal is to work together with your group as in the past with Pat Carpentiere and Barbara Ellenberger. With that being the goal, we are asking you what suggestions your group may have that would rectify the problem before it is too late.

We have proposed the following:
1) Bollards running from the exit down to just past 4th avenue (Proposed by Whitestone Taxpayers).


2) Talking to MTABT about stationing the officer that is to be under the Bridge at the corner of 3rd avenue allowing them to enforce truck restrictions and slowing down cars (Proposed by GWTCA).

3) Removing the extended concrete divider back past 6th avenue as it was pre 1994 ( a little further back for slowdown before turn), thus allowing cars the option of turning onto 6th avenue as well as 5,4,3rd avenues
(as it was from 1939 - 1994).

4) Getting the exit pushed back to the original design of 7th avenue which, as we all know is a 70 foot street that leads to a commercial part of the neighborhood. It was designed by Robert Moses to be the exit street and handle exiting traffic.

5) Turning 5th avenue to a one way westbound operation.

6) Turning both 5th and 4th avenues to a one way westbound operation (Proposed by GWTCA).


7) Keeping the 3rd avenue exit closed permanently except for Emergency Vehicles as on the Cross Island Parkway by the BayBridge complex. This would alleviate all traffic problems in the entire area, would alleviate much of the crime issues by eliminating the easy access to the community, increase property value, and many more benefits that we can discuss at a later time.

With the 3rd avenue exit being closed for a two year period, this will give us in the community an opportunity to see how we are affected and if it can work. For the benefit of the entire community, we should utilize this closure as a "trial period" before we make any decisions against permanent closure. This is a gift being given to us in the community and we should not let it be wasted.

We still feel that converting both 5th and 4th avenues to a one way on a trial basis (until exit is closed) would be a good test to see how it affects the community and give us the ability to reconvene and work out any issues that may arise. This would allow us all in the neighborhood to have an educated say in how we the community members are affected. Instead of pushing ahead for a permanent conversion with no recourse after.
These are our suggestions and concerns regarding the 5th avenue problem we await your suggestions and working with your group to make our community safer for all the families that live in it, especially their children.

Malba Gardens Civic Association

We will be emailing our letter to PD requesting enforcement, and highlighting the lack of enforcement within our entire community. With your input we hope to send a detailed Group letter.

HAZ MAT CONDITION ON 5TH AVENUE

Monday, March 7, 2011
Truck causes Haz Mat situation in Malba

All of the pictures I sent you were taken tonight March 6th, 8PM, as another Tractor Trailer attempted to turn onto our small residential street. This driver struck the hydrant, and ruptured his gas tank as his cab completely jumped the sidewalk spilling Diesel fuel all over the street. According to witnesses he then attempted to back out of the block. What if the hydrant was a person? or worse, a Child? HE ATTEMPTED TO BACK UP? IN ESSENCE RUNNING THE BODY OVER AGAIN?





Now tragedy was averted this time as it was only a hydrant. It did however become a HAZ MAT CONDITION which the Fire Department handled quickly (Albeit a Haz Mat condition of this magnitude should not be occurring on a 24 ft wide residential street, especially when we forewarned them over and over). Our organization has been trying to get our dangerous street converted into a one way westbound in order to avoid such happenings.






Today a Hydrant, tomorrow ? Yet if you ask Maura McCarthy of Queens DOT the traffic on 5 th avenue is not a safety issue, it is just a mere inconvenience. You look at these pictures and tell me, is it an inconvenience or a tragedy waiting to happen? Gene Kelty Community Board 7 chairman claims that his other group, Boosters Beach is against the change as it would be an inconvenience.

This is not the first time a Tractor Trailer has turned on our residential street, along with the scores of box trucks, on top of the 107 cars per hour all day every day (As per DOT traffic survey). For FIFTEEN YEARS the Malba Gardens Civic Association has been fighting to make this street safe for the residents, especially the 18 children under the age of 16 living on the first block of 5th avenue alone.

The Hydrant was destroyed today, LET US NOT ALLOW A FAMILY TO BE DESTROYED TOMORROW.

MAKE 5TH AVENUE A ONE WAY WESTBOUND TOWARD THE BRIDGE BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

5th avenue traffic worsens

7:28 AM... For the past fourteen years residents of 5th avenue in our neighborhood have had to endure an onslaught of Commercial and Vehicular Traffic. As you can see from this photo things have deteriorated. For the past month between the hours of 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM, Tractor Trailers such as this one have been using our RESIDENTIAL, 27 foot wide, minus 7 - 8 feet for parked cars as a Conduit into surrounding area.

These 18 Wheelers shake foundations, set off car alarms, set off some home alarms. and most of all put our families in harms way. Yet Maura McCarthy, Commissioner of Queens Department of Transportation, along with Gene Kelty, Chairman of Community Board 7 feel that these Trucks, along with the other Commercial Vehicles and the 107 cars per hour (33% of which are speeding, as per DOT counts) are not a DANGER, JUST A MERE "INCONVENIENCE". ?????

SHATTERING RECORDS

FOR THE PAST TWO EVENINGS, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:10 AND 8:30 THERE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROCESSION OF CARS TRAVELING EAST ON 5TH AVENUE AT A RATE OF A CAR PER SECOND.

YET MY DEAR NEIGHBORS, THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE DOT, JUST A MERE INCONVENIENCE.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lead paint from Bridge construction in our park?

NEXT MEETING JUNE 16TH, 7:30 PM, HOLY TRINITY RECTORY WITH DR. JAMES CERVINO.

PRESENTATION WILL BE ON:
POSSIBLE LEAD CHIPS FOUND IN PLAYGROUND AND ON JUNGLE GYM IN FRANCIS LEWIS PARK, AS WELL AS ISSUES CONCERNING OUR WATERFRONT.

THIS MEETING IS OPEN TO ALL BUT SPACE IS LIMITED, PLEASE RSVP BY JUNE 15TH VIA EMAIL @MALBAGARDENSCIVIC@HOTMAIL.COM , OR POST HERE WITH # OF PEOPLE ATTENDING.