STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Months after protected bike lanes and a major redesign narrowed Seaview Avenue in Ocean Breeze to a single travel lane each way, the project continues to stir controversy, with local officials citing rising “driver frustration” and new concerns about pedestrian safety.
At a Community Board 2 meeting on Tuesday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield, Joseph Torres, the chair of the Traffic, Transportation & Public Service Committee, shared information from a previous meeting with the Department of Transportation about the growing concerns.
“The community and Northwell [Staten Island University Hospital] has observed that driver frustration is setting in, when you actually compress that much throughput from two lanes down to one,” Torres said during the meeting. “They’re actually seeing increased incidents of speeding and concern for pedestrian safety.”
In April 2025, a 12-foot travel lane, a 10-foot-wide parking lane, a new 5-foot buffer zone, and the Island’s first protected bike lanes bordering the curb were added to both sides of the avenue. In addition, a crosswalk and accompanying traffic signals were installed at Seaview and Nugent Avenue, much closer to the hospital’s emergency room and main entrances.
Community Board 2 reports driver frustration and safety issues near Northwell Staten Island University Hospital.(Advance/SILive.com|Nicolette Cavallaro)
Previously, the location had two lanes of travel in each direction and smaller, unprotected bike lanes.
The project stemmed from Northwell Staten Island University Hospital’s leadership asking the transportation agency to address concerns about pedestrian safety, especially for anyone crossing Seaview between the hospital and medical offices.
“What was very reassuring is we had representatives from the DOT and they actually took that in,” Torres said at the meeting Tuesday.
Increase in safety
While the Community Board meeting revealed concerns for pedestrians, the Department of Transportation has remained firm in its stance that the redesign has increased safety, focusing on the decreased amount of serious vehicle accidents.
“No New Yorker should fear for their safety traveling to and from health care. This redesign was a response to community-requested safety upgrades and concerns from the Northwell Staten Island University Hospital over pedestrian safety along Seaview Avenue,” said a DOT spokesperson. “Similar designs like the one installed on Seaview have proven to save lives — and we’ve already seen safety benefits along the corridor, with a 37% decrease in injury-causing crashes recorded.”
Prior controversy
City Councilmember David Carr, a Republican who represents thr Mid-Island and a part of Brooklyn, voiced frustration with the changes in an interview with the Advance/SILive.com in January, citing worries about how the redesign impacts ambulances and other emergency responders trying to navigate the area.
Then-DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez acknowledged community concerns about emergency vehicle access when the changes were unveiled, stating that the Fire Department and NYPD provided input during the planning process.
State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a Democrat representing the North Shore and a part of Brooklyn, also shared complaints about the Seaview Avenue redesign during a bipartisan coalition in September 2025.
“We have seen the failure of this design that DOT came up with at Seaview Avenue. Almost 100% of my constituents are complaining about it,” Scarcella-Spanton said at the time.
Staten Island University Hospital issued the following statement to the Advance/SILive.com on Thursday:
“The safety of our patients, visitors and team members is always our top priority at Staten Island University Hospital. We recognize the importance of maintaining safe and efficient roadways around our campus.”