On Monday, March 1 at 7:30pm Community Board 11 in Queens will hear a motion for a study of a complete street on Utopia Parkway. Utopia Parkway is an important north-south corridor in Northeast Queens, serving recreational areas like Peck Park, Little Bay Park and the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway, as well as educational institutions like PS 209, Francis Lewis HS, and St. John’s University. Hundreds of cyclists, pedestrians and drivers use the route every day, and unfortunately Utopia Parkway isn’t safe: during a recent 12-month period, the stretch between the Cross Island Parkway and the Grand Central Parkway witnessed 283 car crashes, resulting in 81 injuries and one fatality. Complete streets have a proven record of improving street safety for all road users.

Common Features of Complete Streets

• Reduced speed limit
• Curb extensions at intersections to facilitate safer pedestrian crossings
• More frequent high visibility crosswalks
• Parking-protected bike lanes (sandwiched between the parking lane and the curb)
• Upgraded bus stops, with shelters

How to Help

There are two things you can do to help ensure that CB11 passes the resolution to help improve safety on Utopia Parkway. If at all possible, please do both!

1.     Sign the petition in favor of the complete street.

2.     Speak at the meeting during public comment and voice your support for the complete street. To speak, advanced registration is required. Call the CB11 office at 718-225-1054 to register.

Reminder: The meeting is scheduled for 7:30pm on Monday, March 1. Public comment usually begins within roughly the first 15-20 minutes of the start of the meeting.