8 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 3, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
City releases fi nal map of Astoria Citi Bike expansion
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com / @AngelaMatua
Th e fi nal plan for the addition of 59
Citi Bike stations in Astoria was released
on July 28 and the stations will be up and
running in the next few months.
Astoria will be the second Queens neighborhood
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Citi Bike will expand to Astoria by the end of the summer or early fall.
Film studio, hydroponic lab included in $3.7M Astoria school upgrades
BY ANGELA MATUA
said. “Our investment this year includes
amatua@qns.com / @AngelaMatua
more advanced technology and studying
tools. New and improved school infrastructure
Public schools in Astoria will receive
will help encourage students to
millions for infrastructure improvements
spend more time studying and learning
and new additions like a fi lm studio and
while enjoying their overall school experience.”
science lab.
Councilman Costa Constantinides and
Th e councilman, who is the chair of
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz
the committee on environmental protection,
announced that they are allocating nearly
allocated $1.1 million for solar panels
$3.7 million to the School Construction
at P.S.122. It will be the fi rst school in
Authority for a number of enhancements.
Astoria to install solar panels.
Young Women’s Leadership School
Students at P.S. 84 and I.S. 126 will
of Astoria at 23-15 Newtown Ave. will
receive $160,000 for hydroponic science
receive $375,000 for a new educational
labs. Th ey’ll learn about hydroponics, a
fi lm studio. P.S. 300 at 28-37 29 St. will
method that allows people to grow plants
receive a new science lab with a $500,000
in a water-based solution rather than soil.
allocation from Katz and $300,000 will
Students will also learn how biology, agriculture,
of exposed brick and concrete, amplifying
go toward renovating the bathrooms at
technology and nutrition intersect.
loud sounds.
I.S. 141.
Nearly $900,000 was allocated to update
“Queens has some of the best schools
“I am proud to have partnered with
technology in all Astoria public schools
in the state, but to continue their success
Borough President Katz to invest almost
and $200,000 will upgrade the lunchroom
our schools need to have first-class
$3.7 million in our most important
at P.S. 122. Originally constructed as a
facilities that will enable our children
resource, our children,” Constantinides
gymnasium, the walls of the cafeteria consist
to reach their full potential,” Katz said
in a statement. “This capital investment
of millions of dollars will go a
long way toward ensuring our kids
learn in facilities with modern laboratories
and studios, with up-to-date
technology and with the quality playground
space.”
to feature the bike share program
and aft er several community workshops,
the Department of Transportation
tweaked the station locations. Overall,
nine stations were moved aft er feedback
from Astoria residents.
Th e city has not released an exact date
for the implementation but has repeatedly
said they plan to roll out the program
by the end of the summer. A tweet by Citi
Bike on July 23 stated the expansion will
be completed by late September or early
October.
A spokesperson for the DOT said the
agency still plans on a late summer roll
out but may shift the timeline.
A recent analysis conducted by the
League of American Cyclists found that
New York City has more bike commuters
than any American city. In total, the city
boasts 1,133 miles of bike lanes, up from
513 miles in 2006.
New bike lanes are constantly being
added and Mayor Bill de Blasio has said
he wants to continue the trend, vowing
to add 50 miles of bike lanes every year
as part of his Vision Zero initiative. Th e
DOT today released a report titled “Safer
Cycling: Bicycle Ridership and Safety
in New York City,” which found that
the number of cyclists killed in action
during the fi rst year of launching Citi Bike
declined by 17 percent.
Th e report also identifi ed three Priority
Bicycle Districts in Queens where there
was a high percentage of cyclists killed
in action and vowed to create or enhance
additional bike lanes for safety.
Photo via Shutterstock
P.S. 84 and I.S. 126 will receive funding for hydroponic labs from Councilman Costa Constantinides.
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