November 23, 2015

Hon. Polly Trottenberg

Commissioner
New York City Department of Transportation
Transportation
55 Water Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10041

Thomas Cocola
Borough Commissioner
New York City Department of
10 Richmond Terrace, Room 300
Staten Island, NY 10301

Dear Commissioners,
I write to you today to share with you my vision for short-term traffic and safety
improvements in the 10312 zip code on the south shore of Staten Island. The 10312 zip code
comprises the communities of Eltingville, Annadale, Huguenot, Arden Heights, and Woodrow.
Ive put together a 7-point proposal to optimize vehicular traffic, mitigate collisions, and
increase pedestrian safety in the specified area. I am thankful that NYC Department of
Transportation has a number of larger-scale projects on the books to improve this area,
specifically the widening of the intersection at Huguenot Avenue and Amboy Road, and the
street reconfiguration of Amboy Road through Eltingville. However, these seven measures
can help improve the flow of traffic in this area by implementing a series of smaller-scale
changes.
Timing of Eltingville Transit Center Signal
I recommend that the phase of the traffic signal at this location be updated to allow for a
longer phase going northbound toward Arthur Kill Road to ease traffic by allowing queuing to
occur between the traffic light and Arthur Kill Road rather than the Korean War Veterans
Parkway. In its current configuration, the northbound vehicles are required to rapidly
decelerate from highway speeds in order to come to a stop at the red light, which has
generated a high number of vehicle collisions.
Turning Phase at Drumgoole Road and Arden Ave
Im also recommending that a turning phase be added to the traffic signal at Drumgoole
Road and Arden Ave to accommodate right turns from Drumgoole while the traffic coming
from Arden has left turn arrows. The current configuration produces high queues, especially
during school pick-up and drop-off hours.
Repainting Lines at Amboy Road and Arden Ave
Repainting the lines at this intersection would improve traffic flow by clearly defining the
designated area for vehicles to come to a full stop. Currently, the lack of clear road surface
markings at this location causes vehicles to come to a stop far before the appropriate point,
which then obstructs the turning lane and creates an additional traffic impediment.

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Page 2
Right Turn on Red Opportunities
The following locations are ideal for right turn on red accommodations: Richmond Ave
between Barlow Ave and Wilson Street; Richmond Ave between Oakdale Street and King
Street; Arden Ave between Oakdale Street and Shirley Ave. Additionally, these streets would
benefit from day lighting the intersections with the installation of no parking signs so as to
provide an unobstructed visual corridor for drivers.
Repainting of Crosswalks and Pedestrian Improvements
The repainting of the pedestrian crosswalks at the intersection of Arthur Kill Road and NY
440 is crucial for pedestrian safety, as they are currently faded to a degree of dubious
visibility. Each day, hundreds of vehicles park along the roads in the immediate vicinity of
this intersection in order to access public transportation; there is a high need for pedestrian
safety improvements, chief among them being the rectification of the visibility of the road
surface markings designating the pedestrian crosswalks. My office also contracts with a
cleaning team which will place this area on its regular maintenance schedule to ensure an
unobstructed pathway for pedestrians. I hope these improvements will lead to an increase in
people using public transit at this location, which could further the dialogue on constructing
a formal park and ride at this site.
Completing Milling and Paving of Huguenot Ave and Woodrow Road
Huguenot Ave and Woodrow Road have been partially milled and paved in sections as sewer
projects have been completed. Id ask that the entirety of these two major thoroughfares be
milled and paved as the current conditions of both are a serious impediment to the flow of
traffic.
Removal of Bus Lane on Richmond Ave
Finally, the special bus service (SBS) lane on Richmond Avenue between Shirley Ave and
Hylan Boulevard has been problematic on this stretch due to the narrowness of the road (it is
only 47 feet wide), which also forces buses to utilize both southbound lanes regardless of the
dedicated lane. The SBS lane has had a marginal, if any, impact on the efficiency of the
route and has worsened traffic on this crucial passage. Borough President Oddo and I had
both previously requested that this change be made in August of this year.
I hope to meet with Borough Commissioner Cocola and a representative from city-wide DoT
in the near future on the implementation of these traffic and safety proposals.
Respectfully Yours,

Joseph C. Borelli
Councilmember
51st District