June 15, 2017 By Christian Murray
After being subject to fierce criticism, the Department of Transportation has decided to install an all-way stop sign at the intersection of 51st Avenue and 5th Street.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said that the all-way stop sign will be installed next week and that he and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan will be holding a celebratory press conference tomorrow at the intersection with students from Hunters Point Community Middle School at 2:30 pm.
Van Bramer, who held a press conference at the intersection in January calling on the DOT to install the signs, said that he and the community have been demanding this for years.
The DOT’s decision to install the all-way stop sign comes just two weeks after DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg notified Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan that the agency had studied the intersection and deemed it not busy enough to warrant signs. Trottenberg said that slow zones would be added to certain streets around the school instead.
Van Bramer said that he talked to Trottenberg earlier this week and that the agency reviewed its decision and decided one was in fact needed.
Van Bramer said that there has been a lot of pressure placed on the DOT for the all-way stop sign. For instance, Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked about it at his town hall meeting in Long Island City last month, a petition was put together earlier this year signed by 500 residents and then there have been press conferences.
“This is great news,” Van Bramer said, adding that it is something the community has demanded for some time.
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19 Comments
You all realize that stop signs increase pollution, both air and noise, right?
If you can’t handle a little noise and air pollution then maybe NYC isn’t the place for you to live.
Agree with Chapa that this should be a one way street. It’s difficult for drivers to pay attention to pedestrians while managing two way traffic. Also, the streets are way too narrow for two way traffic with cars parked on either side.
Yes, let’s dumb EVERYTHING down as much as possible. Difficult to pay attention to two-way traffic? Maybe they shouldn’t be driving then.
Did you selectively not read the part where I said the streets are way too narrow for two way traffic? Navigating two way traffic on unreasonably narrow streets is difficult for some people. As a result, I have seen numerous families with young kids almost get hit at that very intersection. But maybe that’s inconvenient for you, so we should err on the side of families with young kids being mowed over. Good call, TYPING IN CAPS GUY.
Ha, I put one word in caps (since italics aren’t an option), and that is somehow noteworthy to you?
Again, if you can’t handle two-way traffic on a narrow street, you shouldn’t be driving. Likewise, if you can’t handle crossing the street, maybe NY isn’t the best place for you to live. I guess you never heard the old “look both ways” thing?
Once a street has so much volume, as 5th street does, a oneway traffic flow makes sense on a few levels. It’s safer, it promotes traffic flow, and enables school buses and truck to travel them without the impedance they create on a narrow two way. The reason I suspect it wasn’t made a oneway right to Bordon is the 108pct as the two way loops right to their block.
Stop signs are useless without people (or cameras) to enforce them. We all know very well how little enforcement we have of traffic violations. Might be more expensive, but if the cops aren’t going to do their jobs, we ought to be fighting for speed humps.
That’s good news. They should also make it a one-way street only.
Also on the corner on 50th Ave and Center Blvd. needs a stop sign as well
Yes, I think stop sign should be put at Center and 50th. Only a matter of time before somebody is injured there. So dangerous.
That is great news. I just came through that intersection and as usual, a car stopped to let me walk. No stop sign. Nice that cars stop but it creates confusion and danger. Now, please look at the intersection between Rockaway Brewing and LIC Kids Club. Even more dangerous.
There WAS a stop sign there for approximately 2-3 days & then it disappeared. Not sure why?! Anybody know??
Yes totally agree. Intersection by Rockaway brewery is a tragedy waiting to happen. Need a stop sign there as well!
Always used to be a stop sign there until sometime in mid-2013 when it was removed. If anyone actually paid attention to the signage rather than just walking and driving as they please willy nilly it would probably be just fine. But since no one does, an all-way stop there would probably make sense, especially during Flea season.
There is a stop sign there. What’s the problem?
the most important stop sign should be at 50th and Center. There should be a huge yellow crosswalk painted there as well. Everyday thousands of people with children and dogs and baby strollers try to cross the road there and cars will run you down as you try to pass. Folks will stop in their cars and take selfies with the city skyline in the background for their social media pages and not see people trying to cross the road. cars park there and cannot see when someone is crossing. An accident waiting to happen. I have called JVB office and also the DOT. We all have to speak up before somebody gets hurt at 50th and Center in LIC
Thank god … but this just exposes what a bureaucratic process we have. How we can spend more time and resources debating a basic safety precaution than the time and money that it takes to actually install it is beyond me.
Fine, they got an 4 way stop sign intersection, nothing wrong with that. But do you need to have a “celebratory press conference”, isn’t that like a block party?
Instead of throwing a celebration, why doesn’t Jimbrowski look for another road hazard or confronting his developer donors to ease up on the tower building.
JVB just loves his photo-op’s and yes more money in his pockets for building –