Plans For Scajaquada Expressway Improvements Being Criticized

Plans continue to convert the Scajaquada Expressway (Route 198) into a low-speed parkway, but some people think the New York State Department of Transportation isn't going far enough.  A public meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday at the Frederick Law Olmsted Public School on Amherst Street and opponents of the state plan are expected to show up in force.

Opponents want the state to make changes to the plan to safely accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.  They're calling on supporters to sign petitions or send letters and emails to the state DOT's regional director, Frank Cirillo.  They say they're unhappy with the plan which they claim "fails to meet Governor Cuomo's transformational vision" for the Scajaquada.

The current plan calls for narrower lanes, a landscaped median, new trees and other plantings and crossings for pedestrians and bicycles in a two-mile stretch from Grant Street to Parkside Avenue.  The Scajaquada Corridor Coalition says they want more emphasis on safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities.

The speed limit on the Scajaquada Expressway was quickly dropped from 50 mph to 30 mph after a 3-year old boy was killed and his sister and mother injured when a car driven by a sleeping driver went out of control and struck them while they walked along the Delaware Park Ring Road.