Third Avenue BID working to increase public safety
Pedro Suarez, the BID's executive director says the Department of Transportation is exploring a potential street lighting study, particularly at night, to see if changes need to be made.
More Stories
The Third Avenue Business Improvement District is pushing to get more lighting in the corridor.
Pedro Suarez, the BIDS executive director says the Department of Transportation is exploring a potential street lighting study, particularly at night, to see if changes need to be made.
"One of the things we've noticed, not just myself, but residents and other stakeholders in the community, that it's very, very dark in the Third Avenue Business Improvement District and surrounding areas at night," said Suarez.
The call to action comes as the neighborhood is seeing an increase in violent crimes. According to NYPD crime statistics, the 40th Precinct, which encompasses the Third Avenue BID, has seen an uptick in robberies, assaults, burglaries and grand larcenies.
Suarez says the study is preliminary.
The areas being targeted include the subway stations on 149th Street and Third Avenue, along Bergen Avenue and northern parts of 151st and 152nd streets - two areas where the neighborhood saw a violent attack and sexual assault earlier this year.
"That's not going to be, I think, a silver bullet solution. Right. These issues are complicated and layered. And so there's a lot of things that go into public safety, But at the very least, we could at least explore," said Suarez.
