N E W S A P R I L 12 L E H A V R E Big changes coming to Bay Terrace streets BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI [email protected] @smont76 Some safety improvements are coming to a winding roadway and two of its busy intersections in Bayside. Community Board 7 voted on Monday, March 27, in favor of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposal for the Bay Terrace section of the neighborhood. The project, which encompasses Corporal Kennedy Street and 23rd Avenue between 26th Avenue and Bell Boulevard, will result in the installation of high-visibility pedestrian crosswalks, concrete islands and other safety measures along the roadway. DOT representative Dan Wagner led a presentation regarding the project. He said the Corporal Kennedy Street/23rd Avenue corridor — currently a 25-foot-wide shared travel and parking lane — will be visually narrowed. Painted lines will divide a 12-foot-wide travel lane from the 13-foot-wide parking lane in each direction; Wagner said this aims to encourage drivers to slow down. “This is a pedestrian-oriented proposal to help make it easier for you to walk in your own neighborhood,” Wagner said. At the intersection of 26th Avenue and Corporal Kennedy Street, the DOT will install concrete curb extensions on the northeast and southwest corners to shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians and upgrade the crosswalk to make it more visible to motorists. At 211th Street and 23rd Avenue, DOT will install concrete curb extensions on the north side of 23rd Avenue, enhanced crossings and concrete pedestrian refuge islands, which provide two-part crossings and make pedestrians more visible to drivers. “We know that this has been a location that the community has been concerned about for quite some time,” said Al Silvestre, deputy Queens Borough Commissioner for DOT. “So we think that we have some strong proposals here to really improve pedestrian and vehicular safety.” Board member Warren Schrieber, who is also president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, said he sent notice about the plans to members of the community. He said he heard back from residents who were in favor of the changes and heard no feedback against it. Board 7 Transportation Committee Chair Nick Corrado made a motion to approve the proposal, and it was carried overwhelmingly. The DOT looks to begin the project this summer and estimates the work will take approximately two months to complete. Councilman Paul Vallone welcomed the news of the upcoming safety project. 12 LEHAVRE COURIER | APRIL 2017 | WWW.QNS.COM “This area, which is home to a large senior population, has been in serious need for pedestrian safety improvements and has been one of our main requests for years,” Vallone said. “The requests have been heard and I’m proud to have worked hand in hand with the DOT to decide on and design the specific changes Photo via Google Maps being made. These improvements will greatly increase the safety of all pedestrians in this area and we will continue to work with the community and the DOT to determine if any further safety enhancements are necessary.” For the complete project report, visit the DOT at nyc.gov. COLLEGE POINT SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE College Point students heading to college next year have the opportunity to apply for some financial assistance from a nonprofit organization until April 17. The Karl A. Spahlinger Jr. Scholarship Fund, distributed by the One Point of Light Foundation, was established in 2015 to provide financial assistance to students from College Point. The one-year scholarships will provide up to $2,500 to help cover the cost of tuition, fees and room and board for up to four students. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit and financial need and may be renewed on an annual basis. Applicants must be accepted as a full-time student at a college, university or trade school in New York City and have a permanent residence in College Point. To apply, visit http://onepointoflightfoundation.blogspot.com. Suzanne Monteverdi TWO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS EXCEL IN STEM COURSES A pair of local high schools made the top 10 in a list of the best public schools for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the New York area. A report by Niche ranked The Queens High School for the Sciences at York College in Jamaica at No. 6 on the list; Townsend Harris High School in Flushing came in at No. 7. At the Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, 95 percent of students at the school scored at or above proficiency levels on state math tests, according to data collected by Niche. The school also scored an A+ in academics, teachers and college readiness. Flushing’s Townsend Harris High School ranked No. 7 for its STEM education. With just over 1,000 students, the school has a 99 percent graduation rate and a 92 percent Advanced Placement (AP) enrollment rate. The school scored an A+ in academics, clubs and activities and health and safety. Rankings were calculated by Niche using academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education, along with test scores, college data and ratings collected through their website. Suzanne Monteverdi Photos courtesy of DOT 26th Avenue and Corporal Kennedy is one of two intersections that will undergo safety changes under the proposal.
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