New right-turn lane offers traffic relief in Great Kills
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Drivers will be able to skirt traffic at a busy Great Kills intersection, with the opening of a new right-turn lane at the intersection of Nelson Avenue and Amboy Road, expected as early as today.
The curved turning lane was paid for by the developer of a new medical and professional building at the corner. The improvement is part of an initiative to tackle traffic on a grand scale, by working in small tweaks wherever possible.
“That’s how you have to work these things, intersection by intersection,” said City Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore), who helped broker the deal between the city and developer Julio Mulkay of A&E Development Corp.
The city worked out a compromise deal with Mulkay during the planning for the building, which replaces an old real estate office that had been built in the bed of what, on the city map, is part of Nelson Avenue.
Mulkay agreed to cover the nearly $150,000 cost of installing the new lane, which will include a landscaped pedestrian island.
In exchange, the new building will score nine parking spots using city-owned land, with the understanding those spaces will be lost if and when Nelson is ever widened to its originally intended 80-foot width. There are no current plans to widen the street.
“It’s going to be a big improvement,” said Borough President James Molinaro, who has been working on getting more private developers to foot the bill for road widenings and other improvements. “That’s how we’re going to do it. One corner at a time.”
Maura Yates covers transportation news for the Advance. She may be reached at myates@siadvance.com.
©2009 SI Advance
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