ELMHURST — Community Board 4 members are set to vote Tuesday on changes to a stretch of Queens Boulevard that includes pedestrian islands, traffic calming measures and bike lanes, according to officials.
The plan is an extension of the changes made on Queens Boulevard in Woodside and Sunnyside, stretching from 74th Street to Eliot Avenue. It's the second phase in a plan to overhaul the former "Boulevard of Death" to make it safer for everyone, the city said.
The "robust improvements" suggested for the boulevard include protected bike lanes, more space for pedestrians and changes at high-risk intersections along the boulevard, according to the Department of Transportation.
There have been four pedestrian deaths since 2010 at intersections with Albion Avenue, Broadway and Grand Avenue, 55th Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard and 59th Avenue, the DOT said.
A total of 133 pedestrians were injured along this stretch of Queens Boulevard since 2010, with 17 severely injured, data from the DOT show.
Twenty bicyclists were injured, two severely, and 624 motor vehicle occupants were also injured.
Of those struck by cars, 54 percent were hit at intersections while they had the right of way, according to the DOT.
Tuesday's vote is the culmination of outreach, online surveys and workshops started by the DOT in 2015, the agency said.
Locals submitted hundreds of suggestions on maps through an online site, a table set up at the Queens Center Mall and other meetings — with the majority of requests for improved pedestrian experiences along the boulevard.
"DOT’s community outreach for this project is unprecedented," an agency spokesman said.
"We are confident the design will greatly improve safety along this stretch of Queens Boulevard, which saw twice as many fatalities and serious injuries as the rest of the corridor where a service road exists."
Councilman Danny Dromm has planned a rally before Tuesday's vote with Transportation Alternatives to show support for the plan.
The group will meet at 87-18 Queens Blvd., in front of Sushi Island, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The intersection is where cyclist Asif Rahman was killed in February 2008.
They'll later walk to the Community Board 4 meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m., and is held this month at Italian Charities of America at 83-20 Queens Blvd.
If the plan passes the board, work should begin this summer, according to the DOT.
