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. 

Francis Lewis Park to get some sort of traffic help

The following is a letter we recieved from the Queens Department of Transportation Commissioner.  While we are appreciative of the actions they plan on taking, we feel more needs to be done.  For example Speed Humps in front of the park would be helpful, especially since they were promised years ago.  Also, what about the intersection of the Whitestone Expressway Service road and 3rd avenue.  We would like to see Crosswalks painted white, with signage "Yeild to Pedestrians" on both intersections and the center entrance of the park. 

Again, we would like to thank the DOT Commissioner and hope she consider our suggestions for a safer passage to OUR park, for OUR children, and OUR families. 

Bellow is the letter recieved.  Baby steps are a great start.  

Alfredo Centola


Just recieved this letter. Baby steps are a good start.



malbagardenscivic@hotmail.com




Dear Mr. Centola:


This is in response to your July 8th e-mail regarding the traffic controls at the intersection of 147th Street and 3rd Avenue.


We completed our analysis last month. Factors such as vehicular and pedestrian volumes, vehicular speeds, visibility and signal spacing were all taken into consideration in making our determination. Based upon our evaluation of the data collected, it is our judgment that Multi-Way Stop controls are not recommended at this time.


However, we have issued orders to install Pedestrian Crossing signs on 3rd Avenue to enhance motorist’s awareness of pedestrians at the intersection.


Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.


Sincerely,


Maura McCarthy
Queens Borough Commissioner






MM:mj:ch


November 16, 2011






Mr.

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.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!