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QC03262015

14 The Queens Courier • march 26, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Design chosen for Woodhaven/Cross Bay Select Bus Service BY ROBERT POZARYCKI rpozarycki@queenscourier.com @robbpoz Things are about to get more rapid for commuters on Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards. The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled on March 24 its Select Bus Service (SBS) bus rapid transit (BRT) system along the congested corridor between Elmhurst and the Rockaways. The proposal would transform the roadway into a “transit-oriented boulevard,” with designated A rendering of a Select Bus Service station on Woodhaven Boulevard at Metropolitan Avenue on the Glendale/Rego Park border. and we’re excited to bring this innovative design for Bus Rapid Transit to move New Yorkers efficiently while at the same time making the streets safer for all,” added DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. The plans were unveiled days after Sen. Charles Schumer requested up to $100 million in federal funding to get the job done. In a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, Schumer requested the funds through the Federal New Starts Program, claiming that the streamlined limited stop service on the corridor between Elmhurst and Ozone Park is critical toward improving both traffic flow and public safety. If approved, the request would cover half of the BRT project’s projected $200 million cost. “The Woodhaven Boulevard corridor has long suffered from a lack of adequate transit options and the city’s innovative and exciting Woodhaven Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit plan can be just what the doctor ordered for long-suffering transit riders from the Rockaways to Howard Beach, from Woodhaven to Woodside,” Schumer said. “This Bus Rapid Transit plan can turn this corridor from a transportation desert to a transportation oasis for tens of thousands of Queens residents, and also be a boon for local property value and area businesses.” Presently, more than 31,000 people each day travel on various local, express and limited-stop bus lines along the boulevards, which the DOT previously identified among the most dangerous roads in the city. Seventeen people were killed and more than 3,000 people were Urinary Incontinence: It Doesn’t Have to Rule Your Life Photo courtesy of NYC DOT Urinary incontinence (UI) is a very common condition, but many people have trouble discussing it with their doctor because of embarrassment, a lack of knowledge about treatment options and the misconception that it is a “normal” part of aging. Farzeen Firoozi, MD, a urologist specializing in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the Arthur Smith Institute for Urology, part of North Shore-LIJ Health System, discusses what you need to know about this condition. Bladder or urinary incontinence (UI), also known as a loss of bladder control, can have symptoms ranging from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. There are several types of UI, including: • Urge incontinence — The inability to hold urine long enough to reach a restroom. It is often found in people who have conditions such as diabetes, stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, but may be an indication of other diseases or conditions that would also warrant medical attention. • Stress incontinence — Leakage of urine during exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects or other body movements that put pressure on the bladder. This is the most common type of incontinence in younger women. • Functional incontinence — Leakage due to a difficulty reaching a restroom in time because of physical conditions such as arthritis. • Overflow incontinence — Leakage that occurs when the quantity of urine produced exceeds the bladder’s capacity to hold it. What you need to know about UI: • 200 million people are affected by UI worldwide. • 1 in 3 Americans age 30 to 70 have experienced bladder control loss, and may be living with symptoms. • 2 in 3 people with UI do not use any treatments to manage their condition. • According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 51 percent of people aged 65 and older living at home reported bladder and/or bowel incontinence. While one-third of American adults think that UI is a normal part of aging that they have to accept, incontinence can be improved or completely cured with proper evaluation and treatment. The Smith Institute for Urology has resources for men and women who want to discuss these symptoms and treatment options with a physician. Our urologists and urogynecologists are at the national forefront for many non-invasive, state-of-the-art procedures to correct incontinence. bus lanes in the main roadway and special bus stops featuring shelters, seating and real-time bus information constructed at major intersections. According to the DOT, the concept is based on the limited Q52 and Q53 bus lines that currently operate on the boulevard and shuttle 30,000 daily passengers between the Rockaway Peninsula and Elmhurst (where the Q52 terminates) or Woodside (where the Q53 ends). Studies found that 43 percent of residents in central Queens and the Rockaways do not own a car, and 60 percent of all residents rely on public transportation. “This is the kind of ambitious overhaul new York City’s bus riders deserve,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “It means safer streets that save lives. And it means that communities from the Rockaways to Elmhurst that have long been underserved by public transit will see real improvements in their daily commute.” “Queens deserves better public transit If you or a loved one has symptoms of urinary incontinence, call (516) 734-8500 today to make an appointment with one of our urologists. For more information, visit NorthShoreLIJ.com/Smith. injured in accidents along Woodhaven Boulevard alone between 2008 and 2012, according to the DOT. In recent years, the DOT created Select Bus Service (SBS) BRT lines in other parts of the city, such as Pelham Parkway in the Bronx. The seven SBS routes, Schumer stated, contributed to travel time reductions of between 15 and 23 percent and also sparked “significant ridership growth, customer satisfaction of over 95 percent and a 20 percent reduction in crashes.” “The Woodhaven Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit plan has the potential to turn an arduous transit slog into a seamless, predictable and speedy ride that will get Queens transit riders from these neighborhoods to and from work, family and fun in a much more efficient way,” Schumer said.


QC03262015
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