On a quiet evening in late March, 19-year-old Nishath Jannath was struck by a Royal Waste garbage truck while crossing 62nd Street at its junction with Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside. The collision, which occurred just a half-mile from her home, resulted in her immediate death and ignited a wave of community concern about the safety of that intersection, which lacks a dedicated pedestrian signal.
Since the accident, local residents and advocacy groups have repeatedly highlighted the area as a high-risk crossing, especially during low-visibility hours. The lack of a traffic-control device that alerts pedestrians and drivers to each other has been described as a preventable hazard prompting calls for immediate remedial action from both the neighborhood and elected representatives.
The March fatality that sparked the call for action
According to officials, the Royal Waste truck turned from Roosevelt Avenue onto 62nd Street just as Jannath entered the crosswalk, leaving no window for the driver to brake. The incident underscored a broader pattern of traffic-related injuries in the corridor, which serves as a busy conduit for both vehicles and pedestrians. Community members argue that the intersection’s design, combined with ongoing construction, has created blind spots that make crossing especially dangerous after dark.
In the weeks following the tragedy, community board members and local activists began documenting traffic patterns, gathering testimonies, and pressing for a comprehensive safety audit. Their efforts aimed to demonstrate that the conditions at the site were not merely inconvenient but represented a clear public safety deficiency that demanded prompt remediation.
Elected officials demand a rapid safety inspection
On September 28, Assembly Member Steven Raga Council Member Julie Won and U.S. Representative Grace Meng jointly addressed a letter to Queens Borough Transportation Commissioner Liz Garcia. The three officials emphasized that the incident remains a “high-priority matter” and urged the Department of Transportation to conduct a safety inspection despite the ongoing construction that has delayed prior assessments.
Raga noted that his office has been in contact with DOT representatives since March, learning that an inspection scheduled during active construction would not capture typical traffic conditions. Nevertheless, the officials argued that the absence of a timeline for the construction work means that pedestrians continue to face hazardous conditions, and that the inspection should proceed without further postponement. They called for an accelerated installation of a pedestrian signal at the 62nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue crossing.
DOT’s position and community pressure
Department of Transportation spokesperson Vincent Barone responded by stating that the agency is exploring the feasibility of implementing safety improvements during the current construction phase. Barone emphasized that the DOT remains committed to enhancing safety at the intersection as swiftly as possible and is in active dialogue with the permit holder overseeing the nearby project.
In May, Raga joined a rally organized by local residents to honor Jannath’s memory and demand concrete action. At the gathering, participants—including Queens Community Board 2 Chair Anatole Ashraf and Transportation Chair Reilly Owens—highlighted the need for protected bicycle lanes, expanded sidewalks, and a re-routing of automobile traffic to reduce conflict points. Owens described Roosevelt Avenue as a “pedestrian-heavy area” that warrants prioritization and called for the DOT to accelerate the deployment of safer crossing infrastructure.
