Press Releases
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2025
Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov
New York City Department of Transportation and Staten Island Officials Cut Ribbon on Seaview Avenue Safety Redesign
New Design Delivers Traffic Safety Upgrades Along Busy Corridor Outside Northwell Staten Island University Hospital
This Project Resulted From NYC DOT Listening to Local Concerns After Initial "Commissioner in Your Borough" Visit in February 2023
NEW YORK – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez joined Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, Northwell Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) President Dr. Brahim Ardolic, and Northwell SIUH Vice President/Deputy Hospital President Meagan Sills to cut the ribbon on the final stages of traffic safety project, including a protected bike lane upgrade, along a corridor with heavy pedestrian activity outside the Staten Island hospital. The project delivers community-requested traffic safety upgrades to the .7-mile corridor alongside Seaview Avenue from Mason Avenue to Father Capodanno Boulevard, including a new traffic signal and crosswalk at the key intersection at Nugent Avenue. The Seaview Avenue corridor ranked in the upper third of serious injuries on Staten Island from 2019 to 2023.
"I always look forward to being on Staten Island, and today we celebrate a safety project along Seaview Avenue that is a direct result of a previous Commissioner in Your Borough visit. This project will make Seaview Avenue safer for everyone, whether you live on the avenue, are visiting the hospital, or traveling through Ocean Breeze," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "I would like to especially thank Northwell Staten Island University Hospital leadership and Borough President Fossella for their awareness and leadership in helping to make Seaview Avenue safer."
The discussion for improving traffic safety in the area first came about in February 2023 during NYC DOT Commissioner Rodriguez's initial 'Commissioner in Your Borough' visit to Staten Island while at a meeting with Northwell Staten Island University Hospital. At the meeting, Dr. Ardolic asked for safety measures in the area out of concern for pedestrian crossings. NYC DOT's planning units went to work identifying ideas and the project was substantially completed late in 2024, with final markings and epoxy paint for pedestrian islands completed last week.
NYC DOT looked at opportunities to calm traffic by reducing underutilized vehicle traffic lanes, while also upgrading the existing standard bike lanes on the corridor. The NYC DOT team observed there being only three traffic signals on the corridor, requiring over five minutes in walking distance between signals and enticing pedestrians to cross outside of crosswalks. NYC DOT traffic analysis also identified Seaview Avenue as an important cycling route.
NYC DOT road diets like the one installed on Seaview Avenue generally reduce fatalities and serious injuries by 30 percent for all users, including by 35 percent for senior citizens and by 32 percent for pedestrians. Given the corridor had as many travel lanes yet just a fraction of the traffic of both Hylan Boulevard and Father Capodanno Boulevard, NYC DOT was able to implement a redesign that included:
- Removal of one lane of traffic in each direction
- Conversion of standard 5-foot bike lanes in each direction into fully parking protected 7-foot lanes with additional 5-foot buffers from the parked vehicles
- Addition of new traffic signal, crosswalk, painted pedestrian islands, and signalized pedestrian crossing outside Northwell Staten Island University Hospital at Nugent Avenue
- Daylighting in the area to improve motorists' visibility of pedestrians and cyclists
NYC DOT was also able to make ADA upgrades to six bus stops along the corridor, replacing grass areas with cement sidewalks.
NYC DOT will continue to monitor the area for pedestrian visibility as it normally does following road diets.
"Recently, we were contacted by SIUH with concerns that Seaview Avenue between Mason and Father Capodanno was dangerous for the patients, visitors and employees who frequent that stretch every day," said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. "We are pleased to support measures to make this road safer. We thank NYC DOT Staten Island Borough Commissioner Caruana and her team for making these much-needed adjustments, and Dr. Ardolic for raising these concerns."
"Every pedestrian injury we prevent means one less family disrupted, one less emergency room visit, and one more step toward a safer borough," said Northwell Staten Island University Vice President and Deputy Hospital President Meagan Sills. "As a hospital, we see firsthand the impact of preventable accidents, and that's why projects like this are so important. Safer streets mean safer patients, safer staff, and ultimately a healthier Staten Island."