QUEENS — The city has downsized its plans to redesign Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills and Rego Park in 2017 because the scope of the project was too big to be completed by the end of the year, officials said.
The redesign of a 2.3-mile portion of the street between Eliot Avenue and Union Turnpike, which was the third part of a larger borough-wide initiative to change the boulevard, will now be split into two phases, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
"Due to the size of Phase III of the Queens Boulevard Redesign, DOT will be splitting the project into two parts — Queens Boulevard from Eliot Avenue and Yellowstone Boulevard, and Queens Boulevard from Yellowstone Boulevard to Union Turnpike," said Alana Morales, a spokeswoman for the DOT.
Before the project was divided, it was slated to be completed in 2017. Plans include major changes and safety fixes along Queens Boulevard, such as bike lanes, extra space for pedestrians and traffic calming measures.
The $100 million redesign of the busy thoroughfare — long nicknamed the "Boulevard of Death,” after more than 70 pedestrians were killed in accidents there from 1993 to 2001 — is being done as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative.
Over the years, a number of safety improvements have been introduced, including numerous pedestrian countdown signals and fences preventing pedestrians from jaywalking, according to the DOT.
There have been no fatalities along Queens Boulevard since the redesign began, the agency said.
Last year, the first phase of the project was completed in Woodside.
This year, the redesign came to Elmhurst, where protected bike lanes have been added to a portion of Queens Boulevard, even though the local community board voted that portion of the plan down.
It was not immediately clear when the second section of Phase III will be started or completed.
Residents will be able to provide their feedback about the first section of Phase III during a workshop scheduled for Jan. 12 between 6 and 8 p.m. at P.S. 139 at 93-06 63rd Drive in Rego Park., the DOT said.
"The upcoming workshop will focus on the first section of Phase III and allow DOT to get community feedback on safety concerns along the corridor in order to deliver improvements in 2017," Morales said.
The DOT said it will discuss the upcoming workshop and the previous completed phases with members of Community Board 6 on Jan. 5.
