By Bill Parry
City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) is renewing calls for the city Department of Transportation to make changes to traffic patterns around Broadway and 74th Street following the tdeath of a pedestrian Monday evening.
Martha Tibillin-Guamug, 25, of the Bronx, was struck and killed by a Q53 bus as it made a right turn onto Broadway about 6 p.m. after the snowstorm had ended, according to the NYPD. The 39-year-old bus driver remained at the scene and was not charged as the investigation continued, police said.
“There has to be something done to force drivers to slow down,” Dromm said. “We discussed a mid-block crosswalk, but the DOT turned us down.”
Broadway and 74th Street is a transit hub where straphangers can catch the No. 7, E, F, M and R subway lines. There is also a busy bus depot at the location.
“Traffic is a nightmare with all the buses coming and going,” said a worker named Jose at Broadway Wine & Liquor, at 73-20 Broadway. “There’s always people running in and out of traffic trying to make their bus or subway.”
Cristina Furlong, co-founder of Make Queens Safer, a pedestrian advocacy group, said the intersection remains a major concern.
“The [city] Department of Transportation had done a visioning study there and put up some barriers where you are not supposed to cross, but they didn’t teach pedestrians how to navigate them,” she said.
The DOT study was presented to Community Board 3 in September 2012, which resulted in the reversal of traffic on 37th Street and new street markings and turn restrictions along Broadway and Roosevelt Avenue.
“Clearly more needs to be done in that area to make it safer,” Dromm said.
Monday night’s collision and safety education will be discussed at Make Queens Safer’s town hall meeting at the Renaissance School, at 35-59 81st St., Sunday between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Woodside) and state Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights) were expected to attend along with representatives from the 108th and 115th precincts.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718.260.4538.
