Western Queens Transportation Study, 2014

Western Queens Report Cover

The Western Queens Transportation Study, launched by the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) in 2013, addresses transportation issues and concerns in Long Island City, Ravenswood, and Astoria in Queens. The study considers transportation issues on both the regional and local scale, and makes recommendations for improvements that can be made by the City and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The study has four main objectives:

1. Enhance the connections between the neighborhoods and destinations, such as waterfront parks and cultural institutions, of Western Queens
2. Create and enhance connections to neighborhoods outside Western Queens
3. Create and enhance connections to Roosevelt Island
4. Improve mobility throughout the neighborhood by establishing new bike lanes, transit services, and enhanced streetscapes

The study encompasses an area bounded by Hoyt Avenue South, Steinway Street, Newtown Creek, and Roosevelt Island in Queens. Since 2002, this area has seen tremendous growth and development, with more than 11,400 housing units produced to date and over 10,000 more in various stages of planning or construction in the Queens Plaza / Court Square area alone. The completion of major new projects across the Western Queens region is projected to add more than 60,000 residents by 2030. In light of this continued growth, DCP performed a comprehensive examination of transportation issues and opportunities throughout the region, using field work, community outreach, and analysis of crash data, field data, demographics, land use and zoning, and more.

The recommendations in the final report include:

• Identifying ways to improve transit service for waterfront communities on the East River;
• Changes to the bus network to improve access to Roosevelt Island, Hallets Point, and Hunter’s Point;
• Expanded East River ferry service;
• A new entrance ramp to the Long Island Expressway;
• Traffic calming, intersection improvements, and streetscape enhancements along the 21st Street and Vernon Boulevard corridors;
• Improved access to Roosevelt Island via a protected bike lane and a redesigned bridge / parking garage complex;
• A proposed new approach to urban design and streetscape improvements for mixed-use industrial streets;
• Strategic intersection improvements throughout the study area.

View a copy of the presentation given to the community.

All of the recommendations in this report require further analyses and design work by the applicable operating agency, such as the New York City Department of Transportation or the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Department will continue its dialogue with those agencies to facilitate implementation.