City Island leaders had a meeting with city officials to discuss ways to handle traffic flow during the island’s peak summer tourist season.
A meeting between officials from the 45th Precinct, the City Island Civic Association, City Island Chamber of Commerce and NYC Department of Transportation took place recently where concerns about how to move traffic on City Island, as well as on its bridge and approach road, were discussed.
Also on the agenda were safety and security concerns, said Bill Stanton, CICA president.
“Traffic on City Island is inevitable; it comes with the warm weather,” said Stanton. “That is not necessarily a bad thing because businesses need to thrive.”
Stanton added NYPD traffic enforcement is essential and that there is often a push and pull between the needs of the island and the NYPD staffing.
As a result of the meeting, which took place at Councilman Mark Gjonaj’s district office, Gjonaj wrote a letter dated Thursday, May 2 to NYC Department of Transportation with five specific traffic requests.
These include an island-wide traffic study to determine intersections where traffic lights can be installed or removed; the installation of actuated signals at City Island Avenue and Cross Street; seasonal ‘no parking anytime’ signs from the Catherine Scott Promenade to Cross Street; the installation of signs identifying a blind spot at the peak of the City Island Bridge; and the extension of traffic delineators at City Island Circle.
A DOT spokesperson, Alana Morales, said the agency is reviewing Gjonaj’s letter.
Gerard Giacco, CICC president, said that he thinks signs identifying the bridge blind spot are important, as is an ongoing police presence during busy times like summer weekends and holidays.
“I would love to see a continuous police presence moving up and down City Island Avenue,” said Giacco. “I think that is becoming more important.”
NYPD Traffic Agents should also remain proactive in directing traffic, he said.
