Flushing Councilwoman Sandra Ung, along with the Flushing Business Improvement District and the Seventh Community Board, held a press conference on May 30, opposing the introduction of the E-Scooter Sharing Program in Flushing. The reason cited was the already overcrowded conditions in Flushing, with concerns that the program’s parking spots would occupy sidewalks and streets. Additionally, the reckless behavior of e-scooter riders, who often disregard traffic rules, poses significant safety hazards.
Ung mentioned that over a year ago, the New York City Department of Transportation proposed including Flushing in the city’s shared e-scooter program. In July of last year, she expressed her opposition to the NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.
She pointed out that the placement of e-scooter docking stations on sidewalks and even roads, coupled with the fast speeds of the scooters and riders’ lack of adherence to traffic regulations, poses dangers in the heavily congested area of Flushing. The introduction of e-scooters would bring about various transportation safety risks and make pedestrians feel unsafe due to the high foot traffic in Flushing.
According to the NYC DOT plan, starting in June, three private companies (Bird, Lime, and Veo) currently operating the program in the Bronx will deploy 6,000 e-scooters on streets and sidewalks in the eastern part of Queens, covering approximately 20 square miles. The expansion area will range from Flushing and Auburndale in the north to Rochdale Village and Springfield Gardens in the south.
The NYC DOT intends to establish around 40 docking stations in downtown Flushing, marked with colored lines. The sidewalk parking areas (corrals) will be 15 feet long and 6 feet wide, while the road parking spaces will be 20 feet long and 7 feet wide.
The e-scooter sharing program was implemented in the Bronx in August 2021. However, reports indicate that approximately one-quarter of users failed to correctly return the e-scooters to designated docking stations.
Flushing Business Improvement District Executive Director Yu Zonghong stated that the Flushing central area serves as a transportation hub in NYC, accommodating over 100,000 pedestrians daily. With a significant number of elderly individuals, parents pushing strollers, and street vendors, the sidewalks are already bustling to capacity, making it challenging for pedestrians to navigate. If the e-scooter program is introduced in Flushing, it would bring forth various traffic safety issues, posing risks to pedestrians and potentially deter people from visiting Flushing, thereby impacting local businesses.
Eugene Kelty, Chair of the Seventh Community Board, also voiced opposition to the program.
Despite Ung’s prior objections, the NYC DOT disregarded the community’s opinions and recently informed her that the project would be pushed forward in June. Ung emphasized, “Our community needs safe, walkable streets and sidewalks, not more obstacles and hazards. I hope the DOT can work with us to find solutions that enhance our community, rather than burden it further.”