Councilman calls for city DOT boss to quit

Cars moving in four directions at once and aggressive driving make for a dangerous combination that's prompted a councilman to call for the city's Department of Transportation boss to resign. Councilman

News 12 Staff

May 1, 2008, 6:28 PM

Updated 6,069 days ago

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Cars moving in four directions at once and aggressive driving make for a dangerous combination that's prompted a councilman to call for the city's Department of Transportation boss to resign.
Councilman G. Oliver Koppell believes the intersection of Riverdale Avenue and 254th Street is a disaster in the making. He says he's unsuccessfully lobbied for years to make the DOT install a left turn signal.
"We did five studies and all five times it has not met the standard," says DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. The DOT says there have been just three left-turn accidents in three years at the site and it must have at least five in one year to have the light installed.But drivers disagree. "I almost got hit there two or three months ago," says David O'Meary. "It's dangerous." Others say they often get cut off at the intersection.
Now, Koppell wants Sadik-Khan to quit.
Sadik-Khan doesn't appear to be going anywhere. "I don't have a comment on that," she says referring to the resignation call. "I work hard to ensure the safety and mobility of eight million people in New York City."
Three traffic officers currently help drivers maneuver at the intersection during morning rush hour. Many drivers say it would be cheaper and more effective to simply install the light.