6 APRIL 23, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Astoria’s Shore Blvd. closes to vehicular traffi c
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Shore Boulevard in Astoria has
closed to traffi c until further notice
as of Thursday, April 16, but
will be open to pedestrians and cyclists.
The news comes shortly after the
adjacent Astoria Park closed its skate
park and adult fi tness area when 114th
Precinct observed social distancing
guidance weren’t being followed.
Prior to the closure, the Astoria
Park Alliance sent a letter asking the
Department of Parks and Recreation,
Department of Transportation (DOT),
and the 114th Precinct to work together
to “impose a temporary extension
of the ‘no standing’ rule” so that it’s
enforcement begins at 7 p.m. instead
of the customary 12 to 6 a.m.
“To be clear, we believe in the essential
function of the New York City Parks
as a cherished public space for New
Yorkers during this crisis,” the Park
Alliance wrote in the letter. “We wish
to support the safe use of our neighborhood’s
jewel to keep us all healthy and
stop the spread of COVID-19. Astoria
Park’s 60 acres provide ample room
to maintain social distancing while
getting the exercise and mental health
reprieve that we all need right now. Yet,
we believe there is a time to take action
to save lives and that time is now.”
The 114th Precinct then made the
fi nal decision to temporarily close the
street. Requests to the 114th Precinct
for comment went unanswered.
Councilman Costa Constantinides
also previously asked the DOT to assess
whether Shore Boulevard could
close to allow more space for pedestrians.
The Astoria native also called for
the Parks Department to boost up the
Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) around
Astoria Park to ensure COVID-19 social
distancing guidelines are practiced.
According to a Parks Department
spokesperson, the city increased the
presence of NYPD, PEP offi cers, and
Urban Park Rangers to enforce social
distancing in parks in early March.
“Our PEP and Rangers are actively
patrolling parks citywide to educate
park patrons about social distancing,
coordinating with the NYPD on any
sites that are experiencing overcrowding
and taking enforcement action
as needed,” the Parks Department
spokesperson said. “Additionally, we
have deployed over 200 public program
staff across the fi ve boroughs to
act as Parks Ambassadors to assist in
this eff ort.”
The Old Astoria Neighborhood Association
(OANA) agrees there should
be more PEP enforcement and the closure
of Shore Boulevard is a necessary
safety measure during COVID-19. But
they ask the closure to be temporary, as
they say it off ers disabled and seniors
vehicular access to the waterfront, as
well as service vehicles.
“Shore Boulevard has been an issue
regarding noise and rowdy behavior
for the last 40 years,” OANA’s President
Richard Khuzami wrote. “Closures
were tried in the past, and it just led
to the party moving to residential
streets around the Park and also the
Parks’ parking lot. This caused even
worse disruption to the quality of life
of local residents.”
OANA noted parking on Shore
Boulevard is also temporarily closed,
according to the 114th Precinct.
“Parks are essential at this time,
but visitors must use their common
sense — we continue to strongly urge
all New Yorkers to maintain six feet of
distance between each other. Please
do not overcrowd each other, there
is space for everyone,” said the Parks
Department spokesperson.
Courtesy of Old Astoria Neighborhood Association
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