Wrong way drivers on 39th Street in Sunnyside, neighbors anticipating DOT's solution

Image source: hi-lo on Flickr

Did you know that drivers – in cars and semi trucks – regularly drive the wrong way on 39th Street in Sunnyside? They do it on the block just north of the Midtown Tunnel Expressway/51st Avenue and south of 50th Avenue (GMAP). It happens when people in their vehicles are trying to enter the LIE, realize it’s hopeless with traffic, and decide to back out, thereby driving backwards on the one-way street.

It’s gotten so bad that neighbors have become increasingly concerned and local City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer is speaking out about this dangerous development. Part of the concern has to do with the danger to pedestrians – especially school kids – who do not expect to see a car or truck heading in the wrong direction.

CBS News did a story on this “accident waiting to happen.”

The good news is that DOT is aware of this problem, and is planning to “design a treatment to narrow the area, which will be installed in the next month or so.” The expectation is that the narrowing of the 39th Street/51st Avenue intersection will deter drivers from backing up. No specifics as to what exactly DOT will do are publicly known, but local residents would like to see a “No Right Turn” sign, bulb-outs (extending the sidewalk curb), and striping the road.