Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Community Boards

Slow Zones, Safer Arterials Win Over CBs in Manhattan and Queens

The scene at last night's Queens CB 3 meeting in Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights. Photo: Daniel Dromm/Twitter
The scene at last night's Queens CB 3 meeting at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights. Photo: Daniel Dromm/Twitter
The scene at last night's Queens CB 3 meeting in Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights. Photo: Daniel Dromm/Twitter

At its annual outdoor meeting in Diversity Plaza last night, Queens Community Board 3 voted to support two traffic safety projects: a new neighborhood Slow Zone in Jackson Heights and nine additional pedestrian refuge islands on Northern Boulevard, one of the borough's most dangerous arterial streets.

“It was not very contentious at all. It was definitely a big majority," said Christina Furlong of Make Queens Safer. "Nobody was especially against it." CB 3 says the Slow Zone passed 25-1, with two abstentions, and the Northern Boulevard improvements won over the board for a 25-2 vote, with one abstention.

The board also asked DOT to extend the Northern Boulevard project [PDF], which will add turn restrictions and pedestrian islands to select intersections along 40 blocks between 63rd and 103rd Streets, east to 114th Street.

The Slow Zone will add 20 mph speed limits and traffic calming, including 26 new speed humps, to an area covering nearly one-third of a square mile, bounded by 34th Avenue to the north, 87th Street to the east, Roosevelt Avenue to the south and Broadway and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway to the west. This area, encompassing six schools, two daycare and pre-K facilities, and one senior center, was the site of 28 severe injuries to pedestrians and vehicle occupants from 2008 to 2012, and three traffic fatalities from 2007 to 2014, according to DOT [PDF].

There are already two neighborhood Slow Zones in CB 3, in Corona and Jackson Heights/East Elmhurst. Slow Zones have seen a 10-15 percent reduction in speeds, a 14 percent reduction in crashes with injuries, and a 31 percent drop in vehicle injuries, according to DOT.

There was also good news last night from Community Board 2 in Manhattan, which in a unanimous vote became the third and final community board to ask DOT to study complete street redesigns for Fifth and Sixth Avenues. At a CB 4 committee meeting in April, DOT staff said the agency would begin looking at options in the fall.

"It's great that communities and community boards across New York City are expressing their demand for better, safer arterial roads in their neighborhoods," said Transportation Alternatives organizer Tom DeVito. "Community leaders are listening. It's very heartening."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Albany Pols Seize the Helm(et)

Helmet laws remain controversial — they're the "common-sense" approach pushed by lawmakers who ignore that studies show they don't improve safety.

May 30, 2025

Tisch Reveals Real Reason for Her E-Bike Crackdown: E-Bike Licensing

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch doubles down on her cycling criminalization campaign, saying e-bike licensing is the only other option.

May 30, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: A ‘Critical’ Moment Edition

Cyclists will protest against the NYPD's bike crackdown with a Critical Mass ride to City Hall on Friday. Plus more news.

May 30, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Astoria’s Big Beautiful 31st Avenue Bike Boulevard

Streetsblog paid a visit to New York City's widest on-street protected bike lane ever, which is up and running in Astoria.

May 30, 2025

Data Dump: E-Bike Crashes Were Down Before NYPD Crackdown, Contradicting Tisch’s Rationale

In the first four months of this year, e-bike crashes and injuries were down by double-digit percentages. So, um, why is the NYPD cracking down?

May 29, 2025

Memo to NYPD Commish Tisch: Drivers Keep Driving, And Killing, on Suspended Licenses

License suspension doesn't keep drivers off the road, why would it work with bikes?

May 29, 2025
See all posts