Community Corner

Pedestrian Plaza for Northeast Queens?

The DOT wants non-profit organizations to administer open spaces in every area of the city.

The Department of Transportation has a new item on their : a pedestrian plaza in every community board.

DOT has ambitions for every New Yorker to live within a 10-minute walk of open space, according to a statement by the agency. They hope the plazas will transform underused streets into social public spaces.

But they don’t want to plop them down just anywhere.

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“Before you construct a pedestrian plaza, we have to know where the plaza is going to go,” said Councilman James Vacca, D-Bronx, who chairs the City Council’s Transportation Committee. 

He added that making sure traffic of surrounding blocks is not increased, and merchants needing deliveries by truck are not negatively impacted will be key in selecting the areas.

Find out what's happening in Bayside-Douglastonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

DOT will select the areas by reviewing applications by non-profit organizations, which would maintain the spaces.

A public information session is being held Wednesday, May 25 from 10-11a.m. in
  room 280 of Queens Borough Hall, located at 120-55 Queens Blvd.


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