State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) is praising city officials for removing no standing signs along Rockaway Boulevard in Ozone Park, saying it will help to drive business back to an area significantly hurt by a city decision to change the traffic pattern in the area.
Following a November request from Addabbo, the city Department of Transportation just changed the traffic regulations along the north side of Rockaway Boulevard between Cross Bay Boulevard and Liberty Avenue so drivers are now allowed to park there. Previously, the parking spots had been designated a “curbside travel lane,” which business owners said deterred people from frequenting their shops.
“It’s great to see our DOT borough commissioner and staff act so quickly on parking regulations that caused such a rapid and severe downturn in the volume of business these stores were experiencing,” Addabbo said.
The city implemented the no-standing zone last year, and it was then opposed by Addabbo, CB 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton and then Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Ozone Park).
During a 2010 walk-through of the area with Addabbo and Braton, Pheffer said the “parking changes, like daylighting intersections, will affect businesses by taking away customers’ parking.”
Addabbo said he is now working with CB 10 and the DOT to re-examine the city’s decision to make Liberty Avenue one-way in some spots, which shop owners said has killed business.
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