Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Rockaway) has sent a letter to NYS Commissioner of Transportation Joan McDonald, and NYC Commissioner of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, requesting their respective agencies take immediate steps to ensure designated evacuation routes and signage are updated and maintained regularly.

“We have made tremendous progress in our Sandy recovery, however we must not overlook the most basic necessity, which is our ability to evacuate our families quickly and safely,” said Assemblyman Goldfeder. “We cannot wait for another Sandy disaster to address roadway infrastructure and outdated signage.”

In addition to outdated signage, southern Queens and Rockaway neighborhoods are geographically isolated and have limited arteries that serve as evacuation routes, including the Nassau Expressway, Beach Channel Drive and Cross Bay Blvd. During peak hours, these thoroughfares are already congested and unable to support the heavy flow of traffic. Waiting for another emergency to address some of these issues will be too late, Goldfeder noted in his letter.

Currently many of the evacuation signs across southern Queens and Rockaway direct residents to Aqueduct Racetrack, however, during the last major state emergency in October 2012, residents were required to evacuate to John Adams High School in Ozone Park.  The lack of updated and clear signage marking evacuation routes and partially crumbling and cracked roadways has prompted many safety concerns for residents in the area.

Additionally, the Department of Transportation recently announced scheduled roadwork repairs along the Nassau Expressway—a primary evacuation route for nearly hundreds of thousands of residents—will be postponed until potentially 2025.

“We need to be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to emergency preparedness,” said Assemblyman Goldfeder. “I strongly urge the city and state DOT to take immediate action and update all evacuation routes signs and ensure roadways are properly maintained and cleared for thousands of our families in the event of an emergency.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)