DOT Finally Acts To Fix Deadly Staten Island Intersection
NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- Enter at your own risk.
Hylan Boulevard at Steuben Street in Staten Island is said to be one of the deadliest intersections in New York City.
"It's amazing. I mean, people really speeding," said driver Rafael Varrano.
"It's the worst intersection on Staten Island, I literally have to run for my life," pedestrian Maureen Malloy added.
And Malloy's not kidding.
CBS 2's Derricke Dennis followed her in action, nervous after three fatal accidents here in a year.
Each have been noted by Councilman James Oddo, who has written multiple complaints to the city's Department of Transportation, with no action.
The last straw for Oddo and many residents came this past weekend when an 82-year-old woman, riding in a car, was broadsided and killed.
"You can't help but be frustrated by this. One of my constituents is dead," Oddo said.
Here's how it happens: A car making a left from Hylan onto Steuben has to dodge traffic in the opposite direction. Both have green lights so no one yields -- until its too late.
"How did we go the previous 18 or 24 months without having this intersection improved?" Oddo said.
Witnesses said almost all of these cases involved a red-light runner. A car tries to make the left, crossing oncoming traffic, and gets broadsided. The victims don't even know what hit them.
But now, finally, help is on the way.
New signals were set to be installed on Friday and Saturday, including a turning arrow timed for safety. The DOT issued a statement saying: "While we'll never know if these changes would have prevented these recent tragedies, we will not let up in our efforts to make the city's historically safe streets even safer."
"Finally, yeah, I mean how many people have, unfortunately, had to get hurt or to die?" Malloy said.
