FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM APRIL 8, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 8
DOT commissioner meets with Flushing business owners
to talk transportation issues plaguing the neighborhood
Councilwoman Sandra Ung and Department of
Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez meet
with local community members in Flushing to discuss
transportation issues on Friday, April 1, 2022.
BY ETHAN MARSHALL
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Queens councilwoman Sandra Ung and
Department of Transportation Commissioner
Ydanis Rodriguez met with local business
owners and discussed transportation issues
while walking around downtown Flushing.
Th e intersection at Main Street and Roosevelt
Avenue trails only Times Square and
Union Square as the busiest one in the city,
while the transit hub in downtown Flushing
is the busiest train-to-bus transfer point
in the entire city. Th e area is oft en burdened
with traffi c for a number of reasons,
according to Ung.
Ung explained that there are many restaurants
in the area, which results in a lot of food
deliveries coming in on a frequent basis. Th e
trucks delivering the food oft en have trouble
fi nding areas to park nearby, so they pull to
the side with the caution lights on in order
to unload the deliveries, according to Ung.
Th is results in less room for other cars to
pass, with vehicles going in opposite directions
having to take turns passing through
on two-way streets.
“Th e neighborhood is home to a busy transit
hub and a bustling business community that
attracts visitors from all over the Northeast
who shop at our unique stores and supermarkets
and eat in our restaurants,” Ung said.
Additionally, with downtown Flushing
acting as huge hub for transportation across
the city, there several bus lines that pass
through the area. Because the buses have
frequent stops to make and take up a lot of
space, it’s easy for traffi c to build up behind
them. Since downtown Flushing is as a main
stop for both buses and trains, there are a lot
of people walking around in the area. With
so many people naturally comes a lot of cars,
both passing through and looking to park.
But fi nding parking spots can be a diffi cult
endeavor there.
One thing Ung believes can be done swift ly
and will have a major impact on the area is
to improve upon the signage for the busway
along Main Street that stretches from Northern
Boulevard to Sanford Avenue. According
to Ung, larger signs with more visibility
would help prevent motorists from traveling
along the busway, thus clearing up traffi c that
would otherwise be stuck behind the buses.
Th is would also help motorists avoid getting
fi ned for being in the bus lane.
Ung said she reached out to the Department
of Transportation (DOT) approximately
a month ago asking for improvements to the
signage aft er learning many drivers were
getting fi ned for unknowingly entering the
busway, which is enforced by cameras. Some
of these drivers ended up receiving multiple
fi nes for doing this more than once.
Additionally, Ung also asked the DOT to
look into scaling back the busway’s hours of
operation. Th is request comes at the behest
of many local small business owners, who
claim to have suff ered from drops in revenue
since the busway installation was completed
in January 2021.
Ung also stressed the importance of making
sure alternate-side parking regulations are
enforced on Union Street near 37th Avenue.
Doing so would allow for the street cleaners to
cover more ground and thus eliminate more
trash in the area. Th is would avoid having trash
buildup in certain areas, which could otherwise
negatively aff ect nearby businesses.
“Th e commissioner and I discussed some
of the issues that have been aff ecting the
community since the busway was installed,”
Ung said.
She highlighted the hours of operation
and better signage to alert motorists they are
about to enter the busway as key concerns.
“I was pleased that DOT was responsive and
agreed to take the community’s concerns into
consideration,” Ung said.
Photos by Paul Frangipane
Councilwoman Sandra Ung and Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez address the media on Main Street in downtown Flushing.
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