City officials on Monday officially rolled out preliminary plans for nearly $39 million in Vision Zero improvements for the Long Island City and Hunters Point sections of Queens.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) hosted a press conference announcing them at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and 11th Street, a stone’s throw from the northern terminus of the Pulaski Bridge.
“This is an exciting project,” Van Bramer said at a gathering that included city Commissioners Polly Trottenberg of the Department of Transportation and Feniosky Pe–a-Mora of the Department of Design and Construction.
Van Bramer and Trottenberg said the money will be used for safety improvements for intersections, sidewalks and bike paths through redesign, reconstruction and new signs and signals.
The councilman and Pe–a-Mora said they will simultaneously be tackling sewer, drainage and other projects intended to deal with flooding that can inundate the Hunters Point area during heavy storms.
The money is a combination of $8.8 million in previously approved capital funds and an additional $29.6 million from a pool of $115 million citywide Vision Zero funding announced by Mayor de Blasio last week.
“This will benefit everyone who lives, works or commutes in this neighborhood,” Van Bramer said.
Van Bramer said the first projects are in preliminary design phases now. There is not yet an accurate timeline for completion. The councilman added that while the project will be wide-ranging, priority is likely to be given to places like the intersections of Vernon Boulevard and Jackson Avenue; Jackson and 23rd Street; Jackson and 21st Street; and 44th Drive and Vernon Boulevard [see the DOT map at qchron.com].
Trottenberg pointed out that while the region has taken off in popularity in recent years as a residential and cultural haven, some area infrastructure has not been improved since the early part of the 20th century. Pe–a-Mora said the odd confluence of roads and the need to keep the neighborhood functioning during the construction process is the trick for his department.
“This is like a patient who needs an operation,” he said. “But you have to perform that operation while the patient can still go to work and go to the theater.”
Liz Lusskin, president of the Long Island City Partnership and a staunch backer of the plan, said any temporary inconveniences are nothing that the neighborhood isn’t prepared for, given the benefits she says the changes will bring.
“These are changes and improvements that the residents and businesses have been asking for for years,” she said. “It is impossible to overestimate the impact this is going to have on the neighborhood.”
Lusskin supports the idea of doing all the projects from sewer lines on up at once.
“This is from below the street to the sky,” she said. “If you’re going to open up the roads, why not do everything at once?”
Pat O’Brien, chairman of Community Board 2, said Monday’s announcement was the culmination of efforts first begun by his predecessors such as Joe Conley.
“This is an example of how government can work,” he said.
