Juniper Boulevard North in Middle Village, which is adjacent to Juniper Valley Park, was established as a roadway back in the late 1960’s when they completed the western end of the park.

The road was a speedway from the very beginning. In 1967, I bought my corner house right near Juniper Boulevard North and I’ve been complaining about the speeding on this road at public meetings ever since.

A few years ago, my husband was putting our car in the garage and a speeding car came barreling down Juniper North and smacked into him broadside. My husband was hurt, but thankfully, not seriously, and our car was seriously damaged.

There have been numerous accidents and a good number of injuries on this street over the years, but on November 13th an accident occurred that resulted in a death.

Although we have asked that traffic calming devices such as four-way stop signs be installed at intersections along the road, the Department of Transportation has always determined that there was no need for signs. Nothing tangible has ever been done to reduce the speeding. Juniper Boulevard North, from Lutheran Avenue to 80th Street, provides a perfect run of straight road for motorcycles, cars and trucks. There are no crossing facilities for pedestrians or the handicapped along any part of this approximately quarter-mile long stretch road. You have to wonder about DOT and how it determines which safety features will appear on any given street. It goes without saying that we have received no help from Councilman Dennis Gallagher on solving the speeding problem.

Now that there has been a tragic accident that resulted in the death of an elderly man, the Department of Transportation, which has a history of taking action only after a death, as they did on Juniper Boulevard South several years ago, will be installing some traffic signals.

The Juniper Park Civic Association is requesting better traffic enforcement by the 104th Precinct and four-way stop signs at some of the corners on Juniper Boulevard North. We do not want traffic lights because we anticipate traffic build-up. This may end up being more of a safety hazard, with cars speeding to beat the lights as they do on Eliot Avenue, Juniper Boulevard South and 69th Street.