An Assemblywoman wants the city to improve safety at a dangerous Astoria intersection before it’s too late. NY1's Clodagh McGowan filed the following report.
This busy interchange is where Astoria Boulevard, 32nd Street and the BQE exit ramp all meet. Driving on these roads can be hazardous.
Take it from Jody Widelitz. The Astoria resident says he was rear-ended by a car while trying to merge through the traffic.
"You're constantly worrying about giant trailer-trucks barreling across your path to try to get to the bridge. Sometime they're courteous, sometimes they're not," said Widelitz.
The issues at the congested stretch of roadway leading up to the RFK Bridge have been on Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas' radar since she first took office in 2010.
"I actually use the thoroughfare to get up to Albany every week. People need to get where they're going, get there safely and not have to weave through five lanes of traffic," said Simotas, who represents the area.
Simotas says she first brought the location to the Department of Transportation's (DOT) attention in 2013. Two years ago, DOT upgraded the lane markings and installed dividers as part of a safety project. But Simotas says it's not enough.
"We realize the improvements, the enhancements that were made only push the problem further west," said Simotas.
A DOT spokesperson tells NY1 the department found more concerns after crews installed the safety upgrades. The agency is working on updating the plan, through potential signal timing adjustments and markings.
Widelitz says he hopes the changes come before someone is seriously injured.
"It'll be a shame if that moment happens because someone is killed in the intersection. And then everybody will look back and say 'oh yeah, you're right. we should have been doing this earlier,'" said Widelitz.
DOT plans on presenting an updated proposal to the community early this year.