BQE Rehabilitation Public Meeting

The DOT is hosting a public meeting about the BQE Rehabilitation plan for the triple cantilever, between Atlantic Ave. and Sands Street. Details in the flyer below:

BQE Rehabilitation Public Information Session

Tuesday, November 1st

6:00pm - 8:30pm

NYU Poly Tandon Auditorium

#5 Metro Tech

Ground Floor Entrance 

BQE Triple Cantilever Rehabilitation to Begin Soon

Last week the CHA joined other local associations and elected officials for our first look at the rehabilitation plans for the Brooklyn Queens Expressway triple cantilever. This is the layered section of the expressway nested under the Brooklyn Heights Promenade as the road runs adjacent to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

NYC DOT states that design is set to begin in 2016, and construction will start in 2021 and last for 5 years with a completion date of 2026. During construction the agency has examined multiple alternatives for rerouting traffic, but none are entirely viable. In any case, this plan will unleash a good deal of traffic in and around the neighborhood through the course of its work. Community outreach is scheduled to continue throughout multiple stages of the project.

The plan includes a traffic study at the Atlantic Avenue interchange, to explore possible improvement to the "sub-standard geometry" at ramps. This has the potential to result in safer conditions on Atlantic Avenue between Hicks and Columbia Street, along the entry way to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Click here to see the NYC DOT 04/20/2016 presentation

76th Precinct Sunday Traffic Alert

Our officers at the local 76th precinct just shared this bit of traffic news for all to be aware of this weekend.

Please be advised that traffic in our area will be affected by following two separate events this weekend, both on Sunday, May 4, 2014:

1. Five Borough Bike Tour - Cyclists will be travelling throughout all five boroughs causing Street and Highway closures.  In our area, Atlantic Avenue, between the BQEEastbound Entrance ramps and the dead end at the Brooklyn Bridge Park andColumbia Street, between Atlantic Avenue and Congress Street will be closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic from approximately 8:00 am, through 3:30 pm.

2. Court Street Festival - Court Street, between Union Street and W. 9th Streetwill be closed to vehicular traffic for the street fair from approximately 8:00 am, through 8:00 pm, to accommodate set-up and clean-up.  Additionally, all side streets leading into the festival route on Court Street, from Smith Street and from Clinton Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic.  The B57 Bus that runs southbound on Court Street will be re-routed via a left turn off Court Street onto Union Street, a right turn onto 3rd Avenue, a right turn onto W. 9th Street, a left turn back onto Court Street and then will continue onto it's regular route.  It will make all the corresponding stops along 3rd Avenue. 

Please plan ahead accordingly and allow extra time if you intend on drivingthis Sunday in the affected areas.

Slowing Hicks street Speedway

Is this sign needed next on Hicks Street?

 

Unless otherwise noted, the speed limit on all NYC streets is 30mph. However, many drivers routinely break that speed and evade ticketing by our police department so in recent years the Department of Transportation has changed the approach to ensuring safer streets. From striping new lanes, narrowing certain streets, and installing many bike lanes, new techniques have been added to the city's toolkit, the Street Design Manual.
 
One Cobble Hill street sorely in need of such traffic calming is Hicks Street, the road adjacent to the BQE trench that was the recent site of tragic fatality. Last week the Department of Transportation installed a digital speed sign to put drivers on alert. DNAinfo has more on the issue...

"The speed sign is a simple, but smart way to put drivers on alert," said Dave 'Paco' Abraham, vice president of the Cobble Hill Association. "But it’s just one small step forward."

For years the Cobble Hill Association has joined with other civic groups asking our elected officials to Fix the Ditch with both traffic calming and landscaping on Hicks Street as well as bike/ped pedestrian bridges that would link the streets cut in half by Robert Moses' trench so many decades ago. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez secured federal transportation funds to develop The BQE Enhancement Study and hundreds of residents came to workshops to help create a series of potential improvements that are a piece-meal, but practical approach. Its imperative upon residents and local civic groups to continue demanding improvements, and with the Enhancement Study now laying out a clear path to that goal, its imperative upon all of our local elected officials to secure the funds to make a safer Hicks street a reality.

Participatory Budgeting Voting

The past several months local Councilman Brad Lander has been running a participatory budgeting project, allowing the public to suggest and vote for ways to spend $1 million of his office's discretionary funds. Several other council members in the city have been running similar workshops and many great ideas have been brought to light. Though no ideas are specifically based in Cobble Hill proper, as voters in the 39th district we are all able to cast votes (3/27-3/29 & 3/31-4/1) at various locations in area.

For more details on voting for the Participatory Budgeting projects and to see the 20 projects on the ballot, visit Councilman Lander's website. http://bradlander.com/participatory-budgeting-ballot-projects.

And when you attend to cats your vote, remember to point out that no matter which projects are awarded funding there are still many worthy issues in our neighborhood which his office must address such as the decaying & dangerous Brooklyn Queens Expressway as well as the need to "Fix the Ditch" by improving pedestrian & bicycle connections between us and our neighbors on the waterfront.

Our BQE, eternally in need of repair

This morning the NY Times published a great article detailing our area's widespread disgust with the eternally wretched conditions of our nearby highway, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Those in Cobble Hill vicinity may already know that the NY State Department of Transportation recently nixed key studies it had begin on the roadway's condition, despite years of community involvement and the blatantly obvious need for countless repairs.

CHA President Roy Sloane previously offered these words to in response.

We were told by the state that the BQE was in danger of collapsing in the 80s... It’s also pathetic that they put all these years and effort in, spent money on all sorts of designs and are now dropping it.

Check out the full article at this link below. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/nyregion/on-the-bqe-road-work-ahead-forever.html

Decaying Highway, will NOT be fixed - UPDATE

UPDATE: Cobble Hill Association President also spoke with 1010WINS & the Brooklyn Daily Eagle regarding the BQE project being shelved. A link to his comments there are linked at the bottom of this post.

Yesterday afternoon, we got word from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) that they are terminating the environmental study for the proposed rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. It is a desperately needed project of which the Cobble Hill Association and many other local groups have been participating for months. Though NYSDOT blames harsh economic times for ending the study, safety is paramount and many portions of the highway are simply unsafe. 

CHA President Roy Sloane offered these words to the NY post in response.

We were told by the state that the BQE was in danger of collapsing in the 80s," said Sloane. "It’s also pathetic that they put all these years and effort in, spent money on all sorts of designs and are now dropping it.

For more details on how this project abruptly stopped, check out the links to a New York Post, 1010 WINS-CBS News, and Brooklyn Eagle report. 

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.

BQE - Past, Present, Future

The BQE is one of the nation's most heavily trafficked roads, carrying vast amounts of people and products. It's importance is undisputed but it's placement is problematic. For decades it's divided Cobble Hill from the adjacent Columbia Waterfront community and only recent have local civic groups gained traction in the fight to reconnect the neighborhoods. Come join this Monday night's Cobble Hill Association Spring General Meeting and hearing updates of the BQE as a past present, a current problem, and ways to fix it all in the future.

COBBLE HILL ASSOCIATION - Spring, 2011 General Meeting

The BQE

Past

A fascinating look at the construction of the BQE “ditch”

that runs through our communities by historian Francis Morrone

Present

Update on plans to reconstruct Triple Cantilevered Roadway

 and Future

How to “Fix the Ditch” – a presentation of the NYCEDC/

Starr Whitehouse “BQE Enhancement Study”

Time/ Date: Monday, May 23, 2011 @ 7:30 P.M.

Place: Long Island College Hospital

Conference Room A,  Enter at main entrance 339 Hicks (at Atlantic)

Safer routes to Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 6

Councilman Brad Lander is renewing his efforts to make the Department of Transportation address the immense dangers in accessing our waterfront park at Pier 6 with a new online petition. It just takes a few seconds to sign, and will go a long way to keeping the issue on DOT's radar so that hopefully it can be addressed BEFORE the warm weather ushers in new visitors to harm's way as they head to the park.

As we saw last year after the new park opened, the current routes along Atlantic Avenue and Columbia Streets, past the entrances to the BQE, are just too dangerous. With spring upon us, we need some adjustments (e.g. a new traffic light at Congress and Columbia) soon.

Please sign Brad Lander's petition calling on the NYC Department of Transportation to make routes to Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park safer for pedestrians, and pass it along, if so inspired.

http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2777/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3735

Final Meeting for BQE Enhancement project

The third & final community workshop for the BQE Enhancement project has been scheduled!

When: Monday, November 15th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Long Island College Hospital (LICH), Conference Center, Rooms A &B, 339 Hicks Street, Brooklyn
What: The project team will present finalized alternatives and preliminary cost estimates, and discuss next steps for the project.

Please see EDC's website to view prior presentations for the project, including:
http://bit.ly/BQEEnhanceFinal

1)presentation and summary from the 5.4.10 meeting
2)presentation and summary from the 7.20.10meeting

We hope to see you on November 15th.

Happy 60th Birthday Promenade

Next Thursday, October 14th, The Cobble Hill Association's Fall General Meeting will host a panel discussion on the role blogs have in shaping local news. Former CHA president and NYU professor Jeff Strabone will moderate several local Brooklyn Bloggers for a great discussion. In addition, We'll have brief updates on two neighboring projects, the massive reconstruction of the BQE Triple-Cantilevered Roadway as well as the 'Fix the Ditch' workshops which seeks to re-unite neighborhoods divided by the highway trench on Hicks street.

For more background on those projects check out the Brooklyn Eagle's fascinating article on just how the BQE and Ditch came about... and wish the Promenade a happy 60th birthday tomorrow.

FALL 2010 General Meeting

How Blogs Are Transforming Local News
A Panel Discussion with Local Bloggers
Moderated by Jeff Strabone

Time: 7:30 P.M.
Date: Thursday, October 14, 2010
Place: Long Island College Hospital, Conference Room A
Enter at main entrance 339 Hicks (at Atlantic)

Happy Hour Wednesday & MORE!

The dogs days of summer are giving us one last heat wave, so cool off with a drink at the next Cobble Hill Association Happy Hour, Wednesday September 1st at Watty & Meg.  $3 beers, $5 glasses of wine from 6-9pm. Come with the friends you already know & strike up a conversation with the neighbors you meet for the first time!

Need some neighborhood news to fuel those conversations?
- CHA President Roy Sloane may have come up with an ideal solution to the BQE reconstruction that will eventually reduce excess traffic on our local streets! Read more.

- Notice the construction at the PS 29 School Yard? Big improvements are on the way, and pictures can be seen here.

- Got old computers and tv's to recycle, but missed the last CHA e-waste event? Not to fear... in just a few weeks there's be two more Electronics Recycling Events just a few blocks away, courtesy of our friends at the Lower East Side Ecology Center. Get all the details right here.

- Miss the old Cafe on Clinton by Cobble Hill Park? Well this Friday it's set to re-open as a brand new place called Breukelen. Read more.

- Had a dangerous ride on the new bike path between Pier 1 and Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park? You're not the only one worried to use that path! Read about it here.

Fix the Ditch - Workshop #2

The kick off workshop for the BQE 'Fix-the-Ditch' was a tremendous success. Now it's time to bring that energy back for Round 2 when the project team will present initial conceptual plans and ask for feedback.

When: Tuesday, July 20th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Long Island College Hospital (LICH), Avram Conference Center, Rooms A & B, 339 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201

Please see two presentations that have been posted on EDC’s website for background on the project, including:
1)    The presentation from the 5.4.10 meeting on EDC’s website.
2)    A draft summary of the 5.4.10 workshop--we will refine and present it on 7.20.10

First Steps to 'Fix the Ditch'

The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, more often an accident prone parking lot than a moving highway, is finally getting some attention.

A massive rehab of the triple cantilever under Brooklyn Heights is moving into the last stage of its scoping phase and attention can now come to the 'Fix the Ditch' project, an effort to bring connectivity to the trench that cuts off Cobble Hill & Carrol Gardens off from the Columbia Waterfront district.

The BQE Enhancement Study, led by Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners, PLLC has officially begun.

The project seeks to find creative solutions to mitigate the noise and pollution created by the BQE from Atlantic to Hamilton Avenues, and to help reconnect communities on both sides. Solutions may include beautification projects such as green planted buffers, overhanging walkways or pedestrian crossing bridges. The overall goal is to create a plan that is innovative and sustainable, but most importantly, practical to implement. The final report will serve as the marketing tool to obtain construction funding.

Three public meetings will be held over next year, beginning with this one..
Where: Tuesday, May 4th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
When: Long Island College Hospital (LICH), Avram Conference Center
339 Hick Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Conference Rooms C & D
RSVP: Please RSVP to BQE@nycedc.com

Cobble Hill Association November Newsletter

Read below for CHA recaps on the Halloween Parade, Book Swap, and upcoming Bike Ride, Fall General meeting, and more.

Fall General Meeting to Feature Panel Discussion, "Surviving the Economic Downturn in Cobble Hill"

With New York City's unemployment rate at a reported 8.9% and with under-employment estimated at 17%, many Cobble Hill residents have been affected by the economic downturn , especially with so many working in the fields of finance, media, and law that have been hard-hit. The Cobble Hill Association's Fall General meeting will feature a panel discussion on coping strategies for this difficult economic environment. It will be held on Monday, November 9, at 7:30 pm at Long Island College Hospital, 339 Hicks Street (at Atlantic Ave) at the Avram Conference Room A.Featured will be an expert on local real estate, William S. Ross, Director of Development Marketing, Halstead Property; co-owners of two successful neighborhood businesses, Henry Zook of BookCourt at 161-163 Court Street and Michelle Mannix of Ted & Honey cafe at 264 Clinton Street at Verandah Place; and Lauren Young, Personal Finance Editor, of BusinessWeek.

For detailed background about the Panelists, please read further here.

- $22 Million NY State Grant Will Assist Proposed Merger of Long Island College Hospital and SUNY-Downstate Medical Center

Governor David Patterson authorized a $22 million grant to Long Island College Hospital, a move that was interpreted as a show of support for LICH's proposed merger with SUNY- Downstate Medical Center, according to Dominick Stanzione, acting LICH President. Mr. Stanzione reported that negotiations between LICH and SUNY-Downstate continue. There have been ongoing discussions between various state and federal agencies to come up with a business plan that would reduce LICH’Äôs current malpractice premiums and increase its reimbursement rates.Murray Adams, former CHA president and co-founder of the Ad Hoc Committee for LICH, said Mr. Stanzione told their committee that "the financial picture at LICH has improved, but LICH is still a long way from break-even". LICH's finances may also be negatively impacted by new cuts in reimbursement rates effective December 1 and possible additional cuts arising from New York State’Äôs anticipated deficit. However, on a positive note, support by the area's elected officials allowed LICH to keep open their school-based clinics this fall.

- Cobble Hill Bike Ride to Meet Sunday, November 8 in Cobble Hill Park

The Cobble Hill Association and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative are hosting a 10-mile casual bike ride on Sunday, November 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will begin at Cobble Hill Park at Verandah Place and travel through Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, the Columbia Waterfront District, Red Hook, and Carroll Gardens then loop back to Cobble Hill. There will be several scenic rest stops as the group rides along the mostly calm streets with some light vehicular traffic. Several bike marshals and a mechanic will accompany the group in case of urgent bike repairs Riders should bring helmets and observe all the proper rules of the road.There is no cost but space is limited to 50 riders maximum. Preference will be given to those who register ahead of time, as well as Cobble Hill Association members. Riders must RSVP to: cobblehillbikeride@gmail.com

- Halloween Parade Draws 4000 to Cobble Hill Park

Halloween has become as festive as Mardi Gras with a crowd estimated at 4000 participating in the Cobble Hill Association’Äôs parade and enjoying the scary decorations in Cobble Hill Park. Every block had people sitting on their stoops distributing candy to children who came from the neighborhood and beyond. One generous Clinton Street homeowner had treats for both young and old with candy for the kids and a mini keg of Heineken for adults.

Kudos to Melissa Glass, the Halloween Queen, for organizing the event, decorating the park, hiring the steel drum band, and putting everything back to normal before midnight. Additional thanks to David Black, Allen Scheuch who made the fabulous totem poles, helped with set-up, and spearheaded the cleanup, Peter La Bonte, Nicole from Congress Street, Liz Velikonja and her fourth- and fifth-grade sons Karl and Nicky, Captain Corey and the policemen from the 76th precinct for closing the parade route to traffic, Roy Sloane, and Jerry Armer.

To view more of Franklin Stone's photos from the event, check out the CHA flickr page.

- CHA Lobbying Efforts Result in Important Expansion of BQE Rehabilitation Project

Peter King, NYS DOT Project Manager, announced his agency's intention to expand the area of the BQE Rehabilitation project south to Hamilton Avenue-- subject to the concurrence of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). His announcement made at the October 21st meeting of the BQE Rehabilitation Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) appeared to be in response to lobbying by the CHA and community organizations. This means that the BQE Rehabilitation will now include all Atlantic Avenue entrances and exits and the BQE "ditch" rather than ending just before. Expansion of the project area also means that the primary study area will be expanded south at least as far as Hamilton Avenue and will include all of the neighborhoods west of the Gowanus Canal.

The BQE Triple Cantilever Roadway Reconstruction Project has the potential to be an infrastructure reconstruction project of truly unprecedented scale and extent. Our entire area could be profoundly impacted for the years required to complete the rehabilitation. Peter King and his team are considering an ambitious range of options to mitigate the potential impact including tolling strategies, a temporary outboard highway over the water and even more permanent solutions such as tunneling underneath downtown Brooklyn. You can learn more about the project and the planning effort at: http://www.nysdot.gov/bqedowntownbrooklyn

- Community Roundtable Meeting with State Senator Daniel Squadron Scheduled for November 23

The Cobble Hill Association is pleased to announce that the first in a series of "Community Roundtable" meetings will feature State Senator Daniel Squadron on Monday Nov. 23rd at 7:30 PM -- location to be announced. The "Community Roundtable" meetings will provide an opportunity for you to meet directly with your elected officials to discuss any topic and to communicate your concerns with them. Please save the date!

- First Cobble Hill Book Swap Was a Hit!

Despite a postponement and shortened hours, the first Cobble Hill Association Book Swap was a very successful event. Over 1000 books changed hands with the remainders donated to patients at Long Island College Hospital.

LICH librarian George reoirts that the book cart is getting great responses from patients and that the kid's books disappear the moment the clinic staff puts them out. In addition to the book swap, police from the 76th precinct registered bicycles and cell phones and LICH nurses took blood pressure readings and provided information about asthma. Organizers Judi Francis and Margaret Ablon thank all who participated and are planning another swap for this spring.

- Joanne Nicholas, editor

BQE scoping meeting: June 22

The NYS Department of Transportation's multi-year study of how to repair the triple-cantilever section of the BQE continues to creep forward. The next event is a public scoping meeting on June 22. Scoping meetings tend to be fairly technical. As such, they are very important to get right. The purpose of a scoping meeting at the start of a project study period is to ask questions like, What is the proper scope of the study? How far out should we look? Where should we draw the limit? What should we include and exclude? Everyone has a different answer to these questions, and those answers are often driven by self-interests.

We have at least three goals for setting the scope of the BQE study:

1. Atlantic Avenue

Expand the project area to include the southern entrances and exits to the BQE at Atlantic Avenue. We all know how treacherous it is to get on the BQE at Atlantic. See Werner Cohn's BQE Watch blog for photos of accidents.

2. Protect our community

Make it clear that the use of residential streets (Court, Clinton, Henry, Hicks) as part of an alternate traffic plan during construction will not be acceptable. We don't want the BQE diverted through Cobble Hill while the highway is being repaired. Imagine how awful that would be. They are going to have to put those 100,000 cars somewhere.

3. Sound attentuation

Whatever technology or structure is used to repair, rebuild, or replace the triple-cantilever portion of the BQE, i.e. the roadway under the Promenade and above the future Brooklyn Bridge Park, should be designed to reduce noise.

The construction will not begin for another ten years or so, but important decisions will be made now. It is important to defend our interests from day one.

WHAT: BQE public scoping meeting
WHEN: Monday, June 22, 2009 between 3 and 6 p.m. and also between 7 and 10 p.m.
WHERE: Dibner Building, Pfizer Auditorium, Polytechnic Institute of NYU, 5 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn 11201

TONIGHT: important meeting on the BQE

I apologize for the short notice, but there is an important meeting tonight regarding the future of the triple-cantilever section of the BQE. That is the section that runs north of Atlantic Avenue and includes the Promenade. The state Department of Transportation is launching a study to decide how to renovate the structure. The study is scheduled to end in 2017, after which the construction will begin. (No, I can't believe it either.)

The time to start shaping those 2017 outcomes is now. The choices made could deeply impact our quality of life. Where will the traffic go during the construction? Will Brooklyn Bridge Park be colonized as a staging area? Will the highway be covered to mitigate noise?

WHAT: BQE Stakeholders Committee Meeting
WHEN: TONIGHT at 6.30 p.m.
WHERE: NYU Polytechnic University, Dibner Building, Pfizer Auditorium, 5 Metrotech Center (corner of Jay Street and Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn)

If you want to have a say in these matters, now is the time to get involved.

Fix the Ditch update: RFP coming soon

The study on how to remediate the problems caused by the BQE trench south of Atlantic Avenue—how to Fix the Ditch—is moving forward. EDC, the City's Economic Development Corporation, will launch its RFP (request for proposals) in early January 2009.

EDC and Dan Wiley of Representative Nydia Velázquez's office expect the study to take one year and to produce designs for unifying the neighborhoods divided by the trench, greening the area, and creating pedestrian and bicycle access. Stay tuned for announcements in 2009 of public 'visioning' sessions and charrettes.

Fix the Ditch update: study coming soon

As reported at our fall general meeting by Dan Wiley, on behalf of Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, there is progress on the BQE front. In 2006, Rep. Velazquez got federal money approved for a study on what to do about the trench section of the BQE: from Atlantic Avenue to Hamilton Avenue. The City's Economic Development Corporation agreed to be the local sponsor for the study, but they were required to have a local government match to put up additional funds. Dan reported to our members that the City's Department of Transporation has agreed to be the local match.

What does all this mean on the ground? It means that the study on the future of the trench can begin in 2009. The CHA's position has been clear all along and we will continue to fight for it: the one outcome that we will not accept is a deck on which new apartments can be built. Aside from that, we look forward to the creative possibilities. One plan that has already won awards is Susannah Drake's 'Reconnection Strategies'. (Go to dlandstudio.com, click 'Work', then click 'Public', then click 'BQE Trench Study'.)