BQE Emergency Repairs

CHA President Roy Sloane sent along this emergency notice...

Part of the eastbound lane of the BQE (adjacent to Grace Court and therefore under the Promenade) caved in earlier this morning. It is 'just' the asphalt itself, not the supporting steel structure. 

Presently, DOT are plating the area and putting up jersey barriers to keep cars off the affected lane. BQE is currently down from 3 to 2 lanes (leading to extensive delays). Repairs will be done on Wed 31st, from 10pm to 6am Thursday. There will be a full shut down of the Atlantic Avenue ramps to the BQE.

During this time, Furman will be made two-way to accommodate traffic, and there will be traffic agents on site to direct traffic. DOT says the repairs will hopefully only take a couple of days, but this is not a guarantee until they know the full extent of what they are dealing with.

Good to know DOT is on top of this emergency work, and will make necessary road changes that include a a temporary TWO-WAY Furman Street. However, one has to wonder, why isn't it ALWAYS two-way? Current vehicle speeds are dangerously high, and keeping this temporary conversion could make a safer road to walk across, bike along, and drive on.

"Cobble Hill was a prime church hotspot"

While we're proud to have had historian Francis Morrone lead walking tours through the neighborhood, we are also glad to know other history buffs are exploring the richness of Cobble Hill too.

Mary Ann DiNapoli recently led a tour with the Municipal Arts Society entitled “Churches of Cobble Hill: The Here, the Now, the Long Gone & the Forgotten." It not only revealed details of churches standing tall today, but also those which have been converted into other uses (like the Met Foods on Henry Street, or the apartments on Hicks & Warren).

For a full report, read Tania Karas's write up in the Patch.
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/on-a-cobble-hill-church-tour-history-and-real-estate

Cobble Hill Cyclist Killed

We are very sad to read reports that Jeffrey Axelrod, a Cobble Hill resident and founder of the Cobble Hill CSA, was killed last night while cycling in the Lower East Side near the Delancey and Chrystie Street intersections. There is undeniably a surge in ridership the past few years throughout NYC and though opinions vary on to how best accommodate all modes of transportation, the universal truth is that all forms must offer SAFE travels.  Our condolences go out to Jeffrey's family and friends, and we hope the Department of Transportation takes this tragedy to heart and continues improving safety for all street users to avoid incidents like this in the future.

For more reports....
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/cobble-hill-towers-resident-killed-in-les-bike-accident
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/jeffrey_axelrod.php
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/18/2011-08-18_man_crushed_underneath_cement_truck_after_losing_control_of_bicycle_on_lower_eas.html

BK Bridge Park Decision

The city announced plans which may potentially eliminate the need for new housing on Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park, yet would still drop housing in Brooklyn Heights. The Cobble Hill Association has long fought for an inclusive, community oriented park without private housing, not piecemeal plans which pits neighborhood against neighborhood.

Our friends at Cobble Hill Blog covered some of the story, as did the NY Times.  However, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund released a very strong press release in response, with Cobble Hill Association President offering these words -

“We deeply regret this inevitable result of the Mayor and the Brooklyn Heights Association's preferred ‘housing only’ alternative to financing the park,” said Cobble Hill Association President Roy Sloane. “It is especially sad given how hard community activists and former Borough President Howard Golden fought to secure this Con Ed brownfield for a park to serve the residents of DUMBO, Vinegar Hill and the Farragut Houses. Seeing park land given up to development especially when so many viable funding mechanisms were identified in the recent "Committee for Alternative to Housing " conducted by Bay Area Consultants, is especially disturbing.”

Click for full BK Bridge Park Defense Fund press release.