A New All-Way Stop Sign Has Been Installed at 57th Street and Woodside Avenue (Photo: QueensPost)
May 23, 2019 By Christian Murray
An all-way stop sign has gone up on the corner of 57th Street and Woodside Avenue following pleas from civic leaders and elected officials.
The intersection, located near St. Sebastian’s Catholic Academy and P.S. 11, has been the scene of several crashes in recent years.
On Feb. 15, 2018, an 83-year-old woman was fatally struck by an SUV while crossing the intersection. Then on Sept. 1, 2018, an SUV backed into an 82-year-old at the same intersection, leaving her with injuries to her face and hand.
There have been 13 total injuries—including the fatality—at the intersection, reported the Queens Ledger earlier this month, citing DOT data.
Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and State Assembly Member Brian Barnwell had been calling on the DOT to install an all-way stop sign, in response to these injuries and community outcry.
Community Board 2 member Dorothy Morehead, whose granddaughter goes to St. Sebastian’s, submitted a petition that garnered 400 signatures to the board last month calling on the DOT to put up a stop sign.
“It’s a very dangerous intersection. There were no stop signs and so many kids going to school,” Morehead said, who was glad the DOT had finally taken care of it.
The intersection is also in close proximity to Doughboy Park.
Van Bramer said that he too was pleased the DOT had finally installed the stop sign.
“After years of advocacy with the community and elected officials, I am relieved that DOT has installed an all-way stop sign at the busy intersection,” he said. “Hundreds of children and families from St Sebastian’s, P.S. 11 and P.S. 361 cross there every day.”
Van Bramer lamented the loss of the 83-year-old woman. “It should never take a tragedy for there to be action.”
Featured Events
21 Comments
FYI the 83 year old woman DID NOT die at the intersection. In fact she was nowhere near the intersection. She died 60 ft north of the intersection of Woodside and 57 St. I know because I was there 2 minutes after it just happened. Nothing a stop sign or traffic light could have helped. She tripped and fell under a moving SUV. Tragic and the image will be in my mind forever.
I hate to tell you this, but this is untrue. I was also there. The reason she was “north” of the intersection is due to the speed she was it. Witnesses said the poor lady elevated after she was it. The SUV that hit her was still in the intersection. I was there moments after the accident. This was a tragedy, and I can only hope it won’t happen there again.
If you were Indeed there right after it happened you would have saw her brains on the floor because the left wheel ran over her head on the left side of the street and then ran into two parked cars on the right side of 57 Street after trying to avoid her. Her body was never propelled her two hands were flat on the floor As if she fell forward, Her legs were still partially between two parked cars on the left side of 57th St as if she was trying to navigate between two parked cars and must’ve lost her footing with her walker. Her clothing was intact indicating she was not ejected. I Just arrived as huge amounts of bright red blood were flowing on the asphalt. I was trying to avoid a graphic description in my previous comment but apparently some folks don’t understand physics and trajectory. Sorry pal.
Thanks to Dorothy Morehead for taking the initiative and putting in the time to circulate the petition.
All the car lovers on this site are going to hate this. But as a pedestrian who crosses here often, I am elated to see the planners finally did the right thing since cars speed down here all the time.
I hate to say it, but there needs to be a sign pointing out the new sign here. I have seen them before. The sign is a good idea, but I accidentally ran it this afternoon. We also need a redesign of the intersection where the bagel place was. People take a lot of illegal left turns on to Woodside Ave.
Usually, at least on US roads like route 22 for example, they will adorn the new sign with bright orange flags on either side. They did that when they changed the speed limit from 45 to 35 on route 138.
We need a Stop Light! Also, where is the crosswalk and the STOP message written in the road. Law abiding drivers do not see the Stop sign on Woodside Avenue on the poles, because there are no road markers and looks like a straight thoroughfare.
A stop light there would cause insane amount of traffic. Especially when the kids get out of school. Stop sign is perfect. Watch them put cops there so people start noticing it lol.
As of Friday afternoon (maybe earlier), the crosswalks and painted “STOP” are now on the road.
What good will this really do? People get killed by cars because of speed not lack of stop signs. The stop signs will not make anything better. They will still barrel through.
Perhaps a NYPD camp out…
Ummm, that’s why there’s a stop sign now, to slow people down. You said people get killed by cars because of speed, well that’s what this sign is for, right?
But people are complaining that it isn’t obviously visible. A light would be better, no?
I never understood all/ four way stop signs. Why not install s traffic light instead??
Too much money and work for them to do
How many people (tax payers!!!) must die?
Oh, so 23, I see.
It’s nice to see however there was no notice or anything. I almost went through it this morning because you are not expecting a stop sign to just appear overnight.
i don’t usually struggle to see stop signs but that’s just me
@you should always… You go up to northern Westchester and you get an area where the trees are aplomb but not trimmed recently… There you are.
You should always be paying attention anyway. That’s the point.