Betty Jean DiBiaso
June 9, 2017 By Jason Cohen
A street in Astoria will be co-named later this month after a woman who was killed by a hit and run driver in 2015.
Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) announced Wednesday that the corner of Ditmars Boulevard and 19th Street will be renamed in honor of 21-year-old Betty Jean DiBiaso on June 23.
“I am proud to honor Betty Jean DiBiaso’s memory with this proposed street co-naming,” said Councilman Costa Constantinides in a statement. “She sparked the implementation of much-needed traffic safety improvements along the streets surrounding Astoria Park. After she was killed in a hit-and-run on a corner outside the park, there was a large community outcry for safety improvements. As a result, a traffic mitigation plan for Shore Boulevard, 20th Avenue, and Hoyt Avenue North was implemented.”
DiBiaso died when 25-year-old driver Nicholas Colleran ran through a stop sign and hit her while she was crossing the street near Astoria Park. Colleran drove away, but later pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and is currently serving up to four years in jail for DiBiaso’s death.
“We co-name this street to show that Betty’s death was not in vain – that we learned from the tragedy and worked to ensure it would not happen again,” Constantinides said.
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10 Comments
People think that you can just a traffic signal in wherever there’s an accident. A study must be made and the past 3 years of accidents are analyzed, as well as vehicle and pedestrian counts before a traffic signal is warranted. As a retired 32 year veteran of NYCDOT, I know what has to be done first. I know how BettyJean’s death was hard on everyone, especially her mom Susan and the rest of the family which includes me, she was my cousin.
TRAFFIC LIGHT! ENOUGH SAID! FOR THE LOVE OG GOD DO SOMETHING SMART!
There is a stop sign there . And it depends on if this was a one off situation or a chronic problem . If over the last 30 years this was the only accident then it’s probably the driver and not the lack of traffic signal .
Poor kid. Just starting her life. What a sad story
I am confused by the request for a traffic light.
There is a stop sign there and the person ran the stop sign.
The driver had also been drinking earlier.
It doesn’t seem like the lack of a traffic light was the issue.
What a beautiful girl,another tragedy. Hope that anything to make it safer there will be done.Am suddenly also remembering a case in the area where a car skidded & somehow went into the water awhile back; some of the young people perished. Not exactly the same issue,but am wondering if any changes needed to occur around there after that& if anything was done..God bless them all,& their families..
so name the street after her is fine. Yet where is the traffic light that we most desperately need. It should have been put up already.
This was very sad and the bastard got only 4 years!
RIP
so why isn’t there a traffic light put up there yet?