Yet Another Sudden Stop

By Katie McFadden

It seems the Department of Transportation has a habit of adding new stop signs without much warning. Last Wednesday, April 2, drivers were slamming on the brakes or breezing right past newly installed stop signs in both directions along Rockaway Beach Boulevard, right before Beach 112th Street. A week later, some drivers are starting to get the memo, but for those who haven’t, here’s your head’s up.

These latest stop signs come after the DOT suddenly installed stop signs in both directions on Newport Avenue around Beach 135th Street in January. And last year in March, they installed new stop signs on Rockaway Beach Boulevard around Beach 117th Street, for both directions.

In addition to providing seemingly no warning, in each instance, the DOT provided little detail as to why these stop signs are installed. When the stop signs went up around Newport Avenue, they simply told The Rockaway Times, they “received public input about the need for stop signs at this location.” After conducting a study, the DOT determined that stop signs were needed in the area.

Some speculate the recent stop signs around Beach 112th Street were requested to make crossing Rockaway Beach Boulevard easier as Waterside Children’s Studio School is on Beach 112th Street. A speed camera is just two blocks away by Waterside School for Leadership on Beach 110th Street.