Seagirt Boulevard in the Queens borough of Far Rockaway has long posed a risk to motorists and residents. After years of speeding tickets, pedestrian accidents, and pressure from concerned community members, Queens officials announced their plans to redesign this street.
Residents have expressed concern over the unsafe road conditions on Seagirt for several years. Since 2019, there have been 222 crashes on this one-mile stretch of road, causing 87 injuries. According to Crash Mapper, 63 of those injuries belonged to motorists, 18 were pedestrians, and six were cyclists. Out of these crashes, there was one motorist fatality.
There have also been several pedestrian injuries at the intersection of Seagirt Boulevard and Beach 20th Street. The Department of Transportation reported that between 2014 and 2018, there were ten severe pedestrian injuries and two fatalities. In response to those injuries, the city installed a camera at this intersection to try and slow motorists down. Though the camera gave out many speeding tickets, community advocates believe it does little to actually protect anyone on the street.
The proposed changes to the street include redesigning the current six-lane speedway to two lanes of traffic to make way for more pedestrian space. City officials hope the redesign will improve safety for all users – motorists, bikers, and pedestrians.
Other changes to the road include restructuring the 30-foot median separating the two sides of traffic. The proposed redesign calls for a two-foot buffer for pedestrians in hopes that this will limit the number of accidents. Along with this change, the city proposed two 11-foot travel lanes in each direction and a six-foot wide parking-protected bike lane. These protected lanes would also include a five-foot buffer on either side.
The city also hopes to install daylighting reinforcements at intersections to help visibility for motorists and pedestrians. Residents are pleased with these improvements, saying they are a long time coming and will hopefully prevent more people from being injured in the area.
As experienced personal injury attorneys familiar with the consequences of car and pedestrian accidents, we are proud to see the city pursuing changes that protect Far Rockaway residents. However, accidents can still happen. If you or a loved one are injured on Seagirt Boulevard or anywhere else in New York, contact Goldstein & Bashner. Our trained attorneys are prepared to fight for you.
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