12
QUEENS WEEKLY, AUGUST 11, 2019
Noise
to keep the route active
through 2020.
“I am grateful to the
FAA for heeding my
numerous phone calls,
letters and personal
entreaties to address
the helicopter noise in
Whitestone,” Suozzi
said. “All reports
indicate that the pilot
program has resulted in
dramatic quality of life
improvements for the
residents of northeastern
Queens. Now, Council
member Vallone, the folks
at We Love Whitestone,
and I will continue
pleading with the FAA to
take this very successful
pilot program and make
it permanent.”
Suozzi, who is
the co-chair of the
Congressional Quiet
Skies Caucus, has worked
with local groups like the
We Love Whitestone Civic
Association to adopt
common-sense solutions
to mitigate noise and air
pollution.
FAA conducted tests and
evaluated VFR helicopters
and floatplanes operating
at New York City heliports
and seaports during
the six-month period.
LaGuardia and New
York TRACON used the
alternative route during
the six-month period.
Read more at QNS.com
Continued from Page 1
Netting
these claims until now.
MTA officials recently
announced the agency’s
plan to install netting
under N/W tracks at the
Queensboro Plaza and
39th Avenue stations —
about a mile south of
Constantinides’ district.
The councilman is
calling on the agency to
complete the remaining
two miles of track up
to the Astoria-Ditmars
Boulevard station.
“Just make sure
that we’re safe. We’re
not asking a lot. Just
give us peace of mind.
This isn’t an attack on
the MTA, they’ve been
very responsive, and we
acknowledge the hard
work of the men and
women who do this,”
said Constantinides.
“I’m just saying it
makes sense.”
Asked how much he
estimates it would cost,
Constantinides said, “I
guarantee that the cost
of the netting is cheaper
than if something bad
were to happen.”
Each weekday, around
52,000 commuters
traveled on average
through the N/W stations
in Constantinides
district including 36th
Avenue, Broadway,
30th Avenue, Astoria
Boulevard and Astoria-
Ditmars Boulevard.
Reach reporter Max
Parrott by email at
mparrott@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260-2507.
Continued from Page 1
Councilman Costa Constantinides holds a flashlight that fell
from an N/W track and nearly injured a constituent.
Photo: Max Parrott/QNS
From left: George Mirtsopoulos, Congressman Tom
Suozzi and City Councilman Paul Vallone.
Photo courtesy of Congressman Suozzi’s office
/QNS.com
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