This Is The Most Dangerous Intersection For Queens Bikers: Study

WOODSIDE, QUEENS — Queens cyclists are most likely to get hurt at a Woodside intersection, according to a new study of the city's most dangerous areas for biking.

The most dangerous intersection for cyclists in Queens is 58th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, data scientists and urban planners from Localize.city found.

Twelve cyclists have suffered injuries at that Woodside intersection in the last five years, according to the report.

Neither Roosevelt Avenue nor 58th Street has a bike lane. Woodside Avenue also feeds into the intersection, making the area even more hectic.

"That adds in a wildcard element that makes traffic unpredictable," Localize.city urban planner Sam Sklar said.

The Localize.city team put together its list of the most dangerous intersections for cyclists by analyzing data on cyclist injuries from 2014 to 2018. The top 10 are all in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Mayor Bill de Blasio last week announced a $58.4 plan to combat a spike in cyclist deaths. Eighteen cyclists have died in crashes so far this year, compared to just 10 deaths in all of 2018.

Under the new "Green Wave" plan — named after the color that the city paints bike lanes — the city would create 30 miles of protected bike lanes a year, up from the current average of 20 miles a year.

It also proposes 10 "bike priority districts" in parts of Brooklyn and Queens with few bike lanes and high numbers of cyclist deaths.

Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and Corona are among the Queens neighborhoods the city will target.

Police will step up traffic enforcement against speeding, blocking bike lanes and other infractions at 100 crash-prone intersections across the city. Special units and precincts will target trucks that are oversized or go off their routes, according to the mayor's office.

The city's Department of Transportation will hire 80 new staffers to help implement the plan, city officials say.

Patch editor Noah Manskar contributed reporting.