In their scramble to accomodate the massive increases in traffic that Ratner's Atlantic Yards project will mean for most of Brooklyn, the Department of Transportation has proposed changes for 4th, 6th, and 7th Avenues and 9th Street in Brooklyn. The plans for 4th Ave. and 9th Street have received some good reviews, but the plans to turn 6th and 7th Avenues into one-way streets in order to speed up traffic along these routes was overwhelmingly opposed by the community in part because these two Avenues have a high density of schools along their lengths, and ANY attempt to speed up traffic will increase the risk to our children.
The Department of Transportation has made two somewhat contradictary claims regarding these proposals. They have claimed that they need no approval from anyone to make these changes. They claim the right to change the rules with no oversight, even if it increases the risk to our children crossing the street to go to school. On the other hand, they made the promise that if Community Board 6 opposed their proposals they would not carry them out.
Well, after a massive outcry by a community that is just beginning to realize what Ratner's Atlantic Yards plan will really mean for them, Community Board 6 has comeout solidly against the changes on 6th and 7th Avenues. They have not taken a stand on the more acceptable changes for 4th Ave. and 9th Street.
This comes from Park Slope Neighbors:
Community Board 6 Rejects DOT One-Way Proposal
You did it! Thanks to the incredible, unified outpouring of community support for maintaining 6th and 7th Avenues as safe, neighborhood-friendly two-way streets, Community Board 6 on Wednesday night voted unanimously to reject the Department of Transportation's proposal to convert the avenues to one-way operation.
CB6 -- responding to 2,500 "One Way, No Way" petition signatures, the 700+ Slopers who showed up at Methodist Hospital for DOT's presentation, and numerous emails in advance of Wednesday's meeting -- amended the motion passed by the Transportation Committee on March 15th, adopting a much stronger resolution rejecting the proposed street changes. In a letter to the DOT sent Friday, CB6 Chairperson Richard Bashner wrote:
"CB6 resolved unanimously to insist that the department not proceed with its proposal to convert 6th and 7th Avenues from two-way to one-way streets."
We'd like to thank all of you who took action. Our streets will be safer for your efforts.
In regard to other local transportation matters, CB6 declined to take a position on the DOT's proposal to reconfigure 4th Avenue, asking DOT to further engage the community on the proposed changes. While PSN believes 4th Avenue could be substantially improved, we do think any significant changes should be part of a comprehensive regional plan to reduce traffic and improve and promote the use of mass transit and other modes of transportation. We hope that the Mayor's sustainability plan, which he'll unveil on Earth Day, will incorporate robust transportation initiatives.
Unfortunately, CB6 also declined to take a position on the DOT's traffic-calming plan for 9th Street. PSN supports the plan, which includes putting 9th Street on a "road diet," adding left-turn bays and bicycle lanes. The plan is opposed by a group of 9th Street residents, and while we respect their opinion, we believe their concerns, which appear focused almost exclusively on the bike lanes, are unfounded. Streetsblog has a bunch of good information on the 9th Street plan here:
http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/10/updated-version-of-dots-9th-street...
and explains why it's a good idea here:
http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/04/11/dots-9th-street-plan-frequently-as...
We'll have more on actions you can take to support the 9th Street plan in a future update. Stay tuned!
My warning to the community is this: Ratner and his tame cronies, Bloomberg, Pataki (now not significant?), Markowitz and the Empire State Development Corporation have shown that they don't give a rat's ass for what the community thinks. In fact they have gone so far as to want the taxpayers, that's you and me, to pay the full purchase price Ratner offered for the land so Ratner gets the land for free. They have tried to drive home every possible thing Ratner has wanted no matter what the community thinks. Mark my words, Bloomberg, Markowitz and the ESDC won't let this rest. I believe the changes on 6th and 7th Avenues will be forced down our throats eventually if we aren't careful.
