Senator Avella Announces New Pedestrian Triangle and Other Safety Improvements at 138th Street and 31st Road

Queens, NY  -  Today, State Senator Tony Avella announced that the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) has finally acknowledged the need for additional traffic controls at 138thStreet and 31st Road. As a result of an on-site with DOT last year at the request of Senator Avella, DOT will be installing a pedestrian island in the coming weeks. 

Senator Avella criticized DOT in the past for denying requests for an All-Way Stop at the 138th Street and 31st Road intersection located in the Mitchell-Linden community. Avella held a press conference on September 25th with Arlene Fleishman, President of the Mitchell-Linden Civic Association, and members of the North Flushing Senior Center to highlight the need for additional traffic safety. During the press conference, cars would frequently speed past the intersection, all while children held hands to traverse the long cross-walk for their travel to and from the nearby PS 214 elementary school.

DOT this week released their study of the intersection and recognized that long crossing distances, unmarked crosswalks, an uncontrolled marked school crosswalk, and the wide lanes which encourage speeding, as dangerous conditions for pedestrians. *See attached PDF for report*

DOT will install a concrete pedestrian triangle in the coming two weeks and will further consider additional safety measures.

“It was absolutely vital for DOT to address the safety issues at 138th Street and 31st Road where cars frequently travel at dangerous speeds. I’m glad that they have finally listened to the community’s concerns and have chosen to construct a concrete pedestrian triangle along the very long crosswalk. Students as young as pre-k from PS 214 and senior citizens from the North Flushing Senior Center will be all the more safe as a result and I hope that DOT will follow through with other safety proposals at this location,” commented State Senator Tony Avella.