SEE: Vision Zero Plans For Bayside and Douglaston Roads

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Plans to cut traffic speed, improve pedestrian crossings and add miles of bike lanes to roads in Bayside and Douglaston have been shared by the city.

The Department of Transportation is proposing three projects – on Northern Boulevard, Douglaston Parkway and the edge of Alley Pond Park.

Northern Boulevard

The stretch of Northern Boulevard from 223rd Street to Douglaston Parkway has had 210 injuries and a fatality between 2010 and 2016, the DOT said. The only road connecting Bayside to Douglaston provides provides access to Joe Michaels Mile and Alley Pond Park for joggers, walkers and cyclists. The current state of the boulevard encourages speeding, according to the DOT.

The proposed work on the boulevard would reduce the number of westbound lanes on the boulevard from three to two and add a bike lane in each direction on both ends of the boulevard from 223rd Street to Cross Island Parkway and from Alameda Avenue to Douglaston Parkway.

Between Cross Island Parkway and Alameda Avenue, the three lanes in both directions would be decreased to two, and each lane would be expanded from 10 feet to 11 feet, according to the plans.

The proposed bike lanes would provide easier access to Joe Michaels Mile, according to the DOT. The left turn signals planned for 223rd Street will provide additional safety improvements for pedestrians.

Douglaston Parkway

Locals requested bike lanes on the section of Douglaston Parkway between Northern Boulevard and 235th Street, according to the DOT. The parkway, which at 50 feet is wider than needed, can be narrowed down to add bike lanes and calm traffic, the DOT said.

As part of the proposed plans, lanes in each direction will be narrowed to provide space for bike lanes, according to DOT plans.

The two middle lanes on section of 235th Street between Douglaston Parkway and the LIRR Station will become shared lanes to provide bike access to the LIRR Station.

Alley Pond Park edge

The bike lanes on Alley Pond Park edge between Northern Boulevard and Springfield Boulevard are in poor condition, according to the DOT. The proposed plan would narrow down the car lanes on this section of the road to provide easier bicycle access to Joe Michaels Mile, Northern Boulevard and Vanderbilt Motor Parkway.

As part of the work on the road, all lanes would be narrowed down to provide bike lanes in each direction on the east side of the road, according to DOT plans.

On the stretch of 67th Avenue located in front of P.S. 13, bike lanes would be moved to the south side of the road to create a lane shared among pedestrians and cyclists, according to the DOT. The school bus lane would be expanded for safer bus loading and the narrowed lanes would calm traffic.

To see the full proposal, click here.

Images courtesy of the Department of Transportation