By a near unanimous vote, Community Board 9 tabled the votes on two proposed street changes that will greatly impact Woodhaven. This was done in the wake of an announcement by DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy that there will be a public forum on these changes on Wednesday, February 1st at 7 PM at St. Elizabeth's -- 84th and Atlantic Avenue in the lower church (side entrance in the back of the church parking lot).
We need a strong turnout at this meeting -- this is our opportunity to demonstrate how these changes are going to impact our lives. At the CB9 meeting the other night, several residents gave voice to the community's complaints about these street changes. And one resident from Ozone Park stood up to complain how the change on 84th Street would impact her access to friends and family in Woodhaven -- it would force her to drive 16 blocks out of her way. That's absurd.
And for what reason? So a few extra residents can get into the Boston Market / CVS parking lot. Absurd.
Recently, we've heard that this is being done in the interests of the businesses of Liberty Avenue. Well, first of all, 87th Street already crosses Atlantic from Woodhaven and carries you deep into Ozone Park (as far South at 101st Avenue) where you can easily access Liberty Avenue.
And there's more --
- 77th Street already runs from Atlantic to Liberty.
- 80th Street already runs from Atlantic to Liberty.
So, they want to add yet another way to access Liberty Avenue, this time at 84th Street? And what will you find when you get to 84th Street?
A graveyard.
This is absurd.
So, in order to open up a THIRD street of traffic to Liberty Avenue -- they're cutting off a very valuable access point to Woodhaven. This reasoning does not hold water.
The response from the Woodhaven community has been heated, to put it mildly. And the response to the proposed change to 89th Avenue is no better. As local residents learn of this change they are coming forward with tales of how this is going to inconvenience their daily lives.
One resident, who lives on 89th Avenue just off Woodhaven (PS 60) relates that he now gets home from work by driving down Woodhaven, making a right on 91st Avenue, a left on 96th, a left on 89th, straight across Woodhaven to his home. Check out what he has to do now --
He has to make a right on 91st Avenue, a left on 96th, go all the way down to Jamaica Avenue, cross Woodhaven and make a left into the service road (which is a difficult turn and adds to the congestion at that intersection) and go up until he can make a right on 89th.
Absurd.
The only way these changes will happen is if we let it happen -- and so, we are asking residents to step forward. We are going to be handing out flyers this weekend -- if you can spend an hour walking a few blocks,going house to house, putting flyers on gates, etc. then please e-mail us at info@woodhaven-nyc.org.
And please try to attend the public forum on these changes on Wednesday, February 1st at 7 PM at St. Elizabeth's -- 84th and Atlantic Avenue in the lower church (side entrance in the back of the church parking lot).
These changes will also be discussed at the Woodhaven Town Hall meeting on Saturday, January 21st at 1 PM at the Ambulance Corps (78-15 Jamaica Avenue) where we will also discuss rezoning.
Here is an updated video detailing the changes --
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