Cobble Hill Street Resurfacing

Next week several streets in our neighborhood will get some much needed resurfacing from the Department of Transportation.

1) Butler Street (between Court St and Gregory Pl aka Quisenbury Dr)
2) Gregory Place aka Quisenbury Drive (between Butler and Baltic Streets)
3) Degraw Street (between Hicks Street and 5th Ave)

The 1st stage of street resurfacing, a process called milling, involves the stripping away of the top several inches of asphalt. The removed asphalt is captured and returned to the Hamilton Avenue Asphalt Yard where it is recycled into a new asphalt product and reapplied to the streets. The City saves money and resources both in terms of decreasing its reliance on virgin product for fresh roadway application, and preserving precious landfill space by avoiding the disposal of the old product. The work can be loud at times, and it creates a temporary scarified, rough driving surface containing raised manhole covers and other protruding appurtenances.

The second stage of work, which usually lags behind the first stage by a couple-few weeks, involves a different work crew responsible for the laying of the new roadway surface. The final stage of work involves the reapplication of missing striping from crosswalks, lane markings, etc. In all, the total process can take a couple-few months to complete.

No one enjoys living through the process of resurfacing streets and weather or other unforeseen circumstances can slow down the process for everyone. Your patience and understanding during this time is truly appreciated.

If you experience any problems, or have additional questions, call either CB6 or 311.

Testify AGAINST Housing in BK Bridge Park

The Cobble Hill Association strongly urges its members to testify on March 31st and speak out against housing in Brooklyn Bridge park. Though developers try to convince the community that five additional buildings are the only solution to finance the park, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund and many other sensible community advocates know this s not true. Bigger revenue opportunities include selling the Jehovah Witness properties immediately adjacent to the park, as well as creating an Atlantic Ferry Landing concept that would serve as an entertainment and recreational draw on Pier 6. Or perhaps most sensibly, eliminating the duplicative entity AND conservancy with mind-bogglingly inflated budgets and simply fold it into a properly funded NYC parks department scheme?

Please take just 1 hour to attend the hearing on Thursday, March 31st at 5:30 PM and TESTIFY

that we don't want nor do we need more private housing inside this park.

Congress Street Bike Lane

While last week's roundtable discussion with Councilman Brad Lander was an opportunity to bring practically any issue to light, many residents chose to focus their voices on rumors surrounding a new Congress street bike lane possibly coming to the neighborhood. While the NY Post fueled, or possibly started, a fire with misinformation...  more accurate details came out of the Q & A. As the Brooklyn Eagle notes... 

The city Department of Transportation insists that it’s only “a conceptual design made by a sub-consultant on a study [commissioned by the Economic Development Corp.] related to the BQE enhancement” and that “previous press reports were inaccurate in suggesting that DOT officials told community members that the project was moving ahead."...  Roy Sloane, current president of the Cobble Hill Association, said, “I was asked by the DOT to take the plan to key people on Congress Street to see what they thought of it, and not one person approved of it. I know there are numerous reports that it’s moving forward despite community opposition, but I spoke to DOT and they said it’s not true.”

The Cobble Hill Association recognizes many residents remain concerned, but appreciates that DOT sought local insight, even during concept phase. We have complete faith that if a detailed plan should come to fruition, once again DOT will seek resident's input to make the best possible solution in designing a safer east-west connection for pedestrians and cyclists moving in and through Cobble Hill.  

Councilman Lander Community Roundtable 3/16

Local Counilman Brad Lander joins the Cobble Hill Association for another roundtable discussion next Wednesday, March 16th. This is the 2nd year the CHA has hosted these open interactions allowing our residents to pose questions directly to area representatives.

Whether your issue is big like avoiding housing in Brookyn Bridge Park, keeping the Prospect Park West bike path, maintaining Long Island College Hospital... or something small and localized to your block or your building, this is a great opportunity to have the Councilman's assistance.

Wednesday, March 16th
7:30p - 9p, Community Roundtable with Brad Lander @ 326 Clinton - Christ Church (corner of Kane and Clinton)