New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced, in April, the agency will restart public engagement to redesign 31st Street in Astoria, with an expanded proposal to enhance safety and connectivity from Northern Boulevard to 20th Avenue. The redesign includes curbside protected bike lanes, painted pedestrian islands, hardened daylighting and reorganized travel lanes. It also includes updates to curb regulations on every block to accommodate various types of curb access. Truck loading zones will allow businesses to load and receive deliveries from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Expanded two-hour metered parking will increase turnover for short parking periods and increase customer access. Separate neighborhood loading zones will allow space for package deliveries and personal vehicle loading/unloading. Designated taxi and for-hire vehicle loading zones will enable quick pick-up and drop-off for passengers.
“Creating designated loading zones for trucks, private vehicles, as well as space for delivery drivers and taxi drivers will go a long way towards calming the chaos at the curb and making the best use of this shared space,” said Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of Open Plans.
Source: NYC DOT
