Muyassar Moustapha, Owner of Oriental Pastry & Grocery, was Killed in a Crash on Atlantic

Late Sunday night Muyassar Moustapha was killed in a car crash at Atlantic Avenue and Clinton Street while returning to his store from Key Foods. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene while the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad conducted conducted its survey. Moustapha was the owner of Oriental Pastry & Grocery, a family owned staple of the Arab-American community on Atlantic Avenue for over 60 years. The tragedy shocked those who knew him well as Al Shaia told the Gothamist, "he always crossed at the light and he was always careful."

Unfortunately, this comes as no surprise to those of us who know this street's dangerous conditions well. Less than two years ago another fatal crash at Atlantic and Clinton shook the neighborhood.  Last year, as part of Mayor de Blasio's Vision Zero initiative aimed at reducing traffic deaths, the speed limit on Atlantic Avenue was reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph. Although traffic engineers assert that crashes at this slower speed have a far lower fatality rate, the new regulation has seen little enforcement and is often ignored. At night drivers will often exceed speeds of 35mph.

Year to date there have been 66 NYPD recorded traffic collisions along Cobble Hill's Atlantic Avenue border, 18 of which have occurred on, or near Clinton Street. Since the beginning of 2013 there have been a total 343 traffic crashes on Atlantic from Hicks to Court Street, resulting in 58 injuries and now, 2 deaths. Data source: NYPD motor vehicle collisions.

Bill de Blasio has promised to address the dangerous arterial roadway in his Great Streets initiative announced in March. The program sets aside $276 million dollars to install engineering improvements on four of the city's most deadly arterial roadways. Construction has already begun on Queens Boulevard with improvements to Atlantic Ave slated to begin in Community Board Five in spring of 2017. Advocates at Transportation Alternatives, which runs the People First on Atlantic campaign, laud mayor's efforts but say that the DOT should study the entire Avenue, from the bay to Queens, to propose comprehensive safety improvements. Those of us who cross Atlantic daily know safety improvements can't come too soon. While not everyone agrees with the implementation of New York's Vision Zero initiative, Charlie Sahadi states the salient point,

"I don't agree with some of the things Mayor de Blasio came up with, but if that car was driving at 25 miles per hour, this gentleman would not be dead today"
-Charlie Sahadi 

Vote for a Safer Hicks Street during Participatory Budgeting

The Participatory Budgeting process gives New Yorkers the power to decide how to spend tax dollars in our neighborhoods. Over the past three years, thousands of have given ideas, researched needs, developed proposals, and come out to vote. This year 24 different Council Members have opted in to the program. Local Councilman Brad Lander was an early supporter of this process and already funded 22 projects throughout the 39th Council district. This year, he is increasing his commitment from $1 million dollars to $1.5 million dollars. 

The Cobble Hill Association hopes some of that money comes to our area to fund a much needed street safety improvement to Hicks Streets. It would continue upon past efforts in which we worked with the Councilman and Department of Transportation to install painted curb extensions on Hicks as part of a traffic calming treatment. Those changes have increased safety but are not yet permanent. We hope to see that paint turn to concrete and need your vote to make it happen. 

Please see the project summary and voting calendar below. With your help, Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens can give Hicks Street the safety treatment it needs.

Four Safer Intersections on Hicks Street
$300,000
Augment an existing project to make painted curb extensions permanent with concrete, at four high-crash intersections: Kane, Sackett, Union, and Summit Streets. Improve pedestrian & traffic safety.
Location: Hicks St b/w Kane & Summit Sts (Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens)

Expo and Vote Kick-Off
Tuesday, April 14, 6:30 – 8:30 pm339 8th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Those in attendance will be able to cast their ballot at the event.

Local Voting Location

Tuesday, April 14th – Thursday, April 16

8 am – 7 pm
@ Brad Lander's District Office
456 5th Avenue, 3rd Floor, between 9th and 10th Sts

Saturday April 18
10 am – 6 pm
Carroll Gardens Library, 396 Clinton St at Union St

Sunday April 19
10 am – 6 pm
Carroll Park House, Smith St between President and Carroll Sts

Even if you are not a registered voter you can vote in the PB elections. You need either an ID, a utility bill, or some other documentation stating your address.

Councilman Brad Lander & members of the CHA stand in a painted curb extension on Hicks Street

Message from the 76th precinct

Last night the 76th precinct held one of its monthly Community Council meetings open to the public. Attending these is the best way to stay informed on community events and issues and relay any concerns of yours to Captain Lenz and his officers. If you cannot attend in person, be sure to sign up for the community affairs electronic newsletters at this hyperlink.

Today, that NYPD email blast gave out important information regarding Mayor De Blasio's Vision Zero program and the new 25 mph speed limit that is going into effect citywide starting this Friday.

From NYPD
Beginning November 7, 2014, the default Speed Limit in New York City will be changed from 30 MPH, to 25 MPH.  This means that anywhere within the confines of New York City where the speed limit is not posted, the default speed limit will be 25 MPH.  Otherwise, if there is a Speed Limit sign posted, obey the speed that is designated on that sign.

Share traffic safety concerns by 7/31

Mayor DeBlasio's Vision Zero plan aims to end the epidemic of traffic crashes that claim nearly 200 lives each year and severely injure thousands more. Since January, the city has brought the Department of Transportation, NYPD, Taxi & Limo Commission, and Department of Health together in workshops, presentations, and public meetings to discuss the problems in all communities and solicit feedback on solutions. For those who haven't made any of the meetings in person, they have allowed for online exchanges via a mapping tool at the website below.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/visionzero/pages/dialogue/map.html

Cobble Hill is not immune from traffic violence and we all see too much of it every day. Please take time to add your own input, and comment on suggestions others have already made, before the public dialogue period ends July 31st.

With eyes on Vision Zero, Traffic Enforcement Rises in the 76th

It's now been over a month since Mayor DeBlasio unveiled his 63 point plan called Vision Zero, a comprehensive multi-agency approached aimed at reducing traffic fatalities to zero within ten years. Immediate action has already begun with City Council hearings and community wide forums on the topic taking place, as well as ramped up police enforcement targeting the most deadly traffic violations.

With dangerous corridors like Atlantic Avenue in our neighborhood, the Cobble Hill Association is well aware that its residents frequently have pedestrian safety issues in mind. We are glad to see a renewed focus on safety by many agencies under Vision Zero and want to thank our own officers in the 76th precinct who have increased enforcement by 186%.  As mapped by WNYC, in February of 2013, they distributed a combined 22 tickets for speeding, failure to yield to pedestrians and failure to stop at traffic signal. This year that total went up to 63 tickets.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/traffic-tickets-across-city/

Many are delighted by this sea change in enforcement and hope it will continue each month. Others raise the concern that it is still not nearly as widespread as it ought to be, with observable violations far outweighing the number of tickets issued. In fact, some precincts have even given out fewer tickets than they did in the same month of 2013.

The 76th precinct holds it's monthly community council meeting the first Tuesday of each month at the precinct at 7:30 P.M. We encourage our community to visit the officers and Captain Justin Lenz to hear more about how the Vision Zero platform will be adopted by our local precinct.