City Islanders, NYPD discuss summertime tourist traffi c
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
City Island leaders had a
meeting with city offi cials to
discuss ways to handle traffi c
fl ow during the island’s peak
summer tourist season.
A meeting between offi -
cials from the 45th Precinct,
the City Island Civic Association,
City Island Chamber of
Commerce and NYC Department
of Transportation took
place recently where concerns
about how to move traffi c on
City Island, as well as on its
bridge and approach road,
were discussed.
Also on the agenda were
safety and security concerns,
said Bill Stanton, CICA president.
“Traffi c on City Island is
inevitable; it comes with the
warm weather,” said Stanton.
“That is not necessarily a bad
thing because businesses need
to thrive.”
Stanton added NYPD traffi
c enforcement is essential
and that there is often a push
and pull between the needs of
the island and the NYPD staffing.
As a result of the meeting,
which took place at Councilman
Mark Gjonaj’s district
Councilman Mark Gjonaj; Nivardo Lopez, NYC Department of Transportation Bronx commissioner, Bill Stanton and Tom Smith of the City Island Civic
Association; Gerard Giacco of the City Island Chamber of Commerce; and 45th Precinct commanding offi cer Captain Thomas Fraser and NYPD offi
cials meet to discuss traffi c and safety issues on City Island at the councilman’s offi ce on Friday, April 26. Photo by Fernando Justiniano
offi ce, Gjonaj wrote a letter
dated Thursday, May 2 to NYC
Department of Transportation
with fi ve specifi c traffi c
requests.
These include an islandwide
traffi c study to determine
intersections where
traffi c lights can be installed
or removed; the installation
of actuated signals at City
Island Avenue and Cross
Street; seasonal ‘no parking
anytime’ signs from the Catherine
BRONX TIMES R 42 EPORTER, MAY 24-30, 2019 BTR
Scott Promenade to
Cross Street; the installation
of signs identifying a blind
spot at the peak of the City
Island Bridge; and the extension
of traffi c delineators at
City Island Circle.
A DOT spokesperson, Alana
Morales, said the agency
is reviewing Gjonaj’s letter.
Gerard Giacco, CICC president,
said that he thinks signs
identifying the bridge blind
spot are important, as is an
ongoing police presence during
busy times like summer
weekends and holidays.
“I would love to see a continuous
police presence moving
up and down City Island
Avenue,” said Giacco. “I think
that is becoming more important.”
NYPD Traffi c Agents
should also remain proactive
in directing traffi c, he said.