ELMHURST — Safer pedestrian crossings and car turning lanes are coming to an accident-prone section of Broadway, according to the Department of Transportation.
The DOT's Broadway - Elmhurst Corridor Safety Improvement Project will focus on safety improvements for Broadway between 75th Street and Queens Boulevard, which is a "high-crash" corridor, according to the DOT.
There were 302 injuries, 15 of which were severe, between 2008 and 2012. There was one fatal crash at the stretch in 2013, according to the DOT. Most of the injuries were to motorists, but the most severe were suffered by pedestrians.
The plan, which was approved Oct. 14 by Community Board 4, will redesign the road, which has two lanes each way in places or no designations into one lane each way with a wide parking lane.
There will also be wider medians and designated left turn lanes in a bid to reduce speeding and better organize traffic, according to the plan.
Crosswalks will also be painted to become more visible, according to the DOT.
The ultimate goal is to create a safer experience for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists as part of the mayor's Vision Zero push to reduce traffic fatalities.
Critics said they would like to see the plan also include a designated bike lane for the road. Officials from the DOT said creating a bike lane on the street could be discussed in future meetings.
Similar changes were made to Broadway in Woodside, from Northern Boulevard to 65th Street, in the summer.
