FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com FEBRUARY 4, 2016 • THE QUEENS COURIER 13 LIC to receive nearly $40 million for street upgrades BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com/@AngelaMatua Long Island City streets will receive major upgrades as a part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative, city offi cials formally announced at a Feb. 1 press conference. A large swath of streets, many of which have not been reconstructed since the early 20th century, will be upgraded to enhance transportation safety, especially in a neighborhood that has seen “explosive growth,” according to Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. The project has received a $29.6 million investment from de Blasio’s capital plan and $8.8 million from the DOT Capital Project budget for a total of $38.47 million in capital funding. This Long Island City project was awarded the largest share of the Vision Zero funding, Trottenberg said. “We’re having such a growth in terms of residential activity, commercial activity,” she said. “Obviously, as buildings are going up, the infrastructure is straining.” The improvements will stretch from Fifth Street and 44th Drive to Jackson and Borden avenues. The DOT will also be partnering with the Department of Environmental Preservation to improve drainage and resiliency measures because the area is surrounded by water. Trottenberg, along with Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Feniosky Pena-Mora, announced the project at the intersection of 11th Street and Jackson Avenue, a major focus of the redesign work. Trottenberg said residents at a December planning meeting requested traffi c calming and safety measures along 11th Street. Other areas of focus Offi cials announced on Feb. 1 a nearly $40 million project to upgrade streets in Long island City. include the intersections of Vernon Boulevard and Jackson Avenue; 23rd Street and Jackson Avenue; 21st Street and Jackson Avenue; and 44th Drive and Vernon Boulevard. Pena-Mora said the project will focus on designing safer streetscapes for pedestrians, intersection and corridor improvements, traffi c calming, new public spaces, green infrastructure and resilience solutions to protect the Hunters Point waterfront from extreme weather. THE COURIER/Photo by Angela Matua “These are improvements that we have long sought,” said Pat O’Brien, chairperson of Community Board 2. “It’s wonderful to see this tangible step occurring and to be part of the announcement here.” The preliminary design is expected to be completed by June, but no additional timeline was released. The mayor’s budget also includes $225 million for three new schools in the neighborhood, which Van Bramer announced last week. Great rates like ours are always in season. 1.80% 60-Month CD APY1 $5,000 minimum deposit 1.30% 24-Month CD APY1 $5,000 minimum deposit To qualify you must open a Flushing Bank Complete Checking Plus account. Get the complete access and control you desire with a competitive interest rate and banking on-the-go with our Flushing Bank Mobile2 app. For more information and to find out about our other great offers, visit your local Flushing Bank branch, call 800.581.2889 or visit www.FlushingBank.com. 1 New money only. APY effective January 19, 2016. Annual percentage yield assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for a full year at current rate. Minimum deposit balance of $5,000 is required. Funds cannot be transferred from an existing Flushing Bank account. Premature withdrawals may be subject to bank and IRS penalties. Rates and offer are subject to change without notice. A new Complete Checking Plus account with a $5,000 minimum initial deposit is required to receive the CD with the advertised rate. Certain fees and restrictions may apply. For new IRA and rollover accounts, the minimum deposit balance is $5,000. A new checking account is not required for IRA accounts. Speak with a Flushing Bank representative for more details. 2 Flushing Bank Mobile Banking is available to all Flushing Bank online banking users. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
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