A portion of Franklin Street may be getting a protected bike lane. (Courtesy of Google Maps)
A redesign of Franklin and Quay Streets by the Department of Transportation with plans to rearrange 15 parking spots and add a protected two-way bike lane is in the works, Brooklyn Paper reports.
Courtesy of NYC DOT
The proposal (available here) is part of a larger DOT plan to make commuting by bike easier and safer along the often perilous route through Greenpoint starting where Kent Avenue and Franklin Street meet; existing issues identified in the proposal include:
• Gap in the protected bike lane network between Kent Ave two-way bike path and West St two-way path • Challenging transition from Kent Ave to Franklin Ave with increased bicycle volumes along a truck route • Limited eastbound access from West St – Quay St and Calyer St are westbound”
Franklin Street has become especially congested in recent years with heavy truck and construction traffic, the added B32 bus route, more waterfront residents resulting in an increased number of cyclists and runners competing for space on the two-way street.
The streets around Greenpoint are in the process of resurfacing by the Dept of Transportation with a number of streets set to be repaved this week. During this time it’s best to double-check parking restrictions.
As L-Pocalypse draws near, the DOT sees bike lanes as one way to offset the crush of commuters on the G and J/M/Z lines. With that goal in mind, the agency will begin upgrading Williamsburg’s existing bike lanes this summer. Continue reading →
For two years, the NYC Department of Transportation has been studying traffic patterns and issues in North Brooklyn. Now they are ready to release their findings to the neighborhood in a meeting where they’ll talk about planned changes and improvements. The meeting is happening this Thursday June 7th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, at PS 84 (250 Berry Street). See you there!
This Wednesday evening, May 16th from 6:30-8:30pm the MTA and NYC DOT are hosting a town hall to discuss L-Train shutdown plans and the impact that the closure will have on our commutes and local businesses. Part of the plan includes increasing the number of cars on the ever-short G Train (it’s about time!), increasing ferry service, adding a few hundred buses to traverse the Williamsburg Bridge, and expanding bicycle access. Wednesday’s meeting will be held at Progress High School (850 Grand Street at Bushwick Ave).
More info can be found on the L Train Coalition’s site.
Two years ago, the NYC Department of Transportation began conducting a Traffic Study to assess street safety conditions in North Brooklyn. The study focused on issues like street design, traffic flow, public safety and environmental impact, and was funded by Councilman Stephen Levin’s office. To complete their findings, the DOT solicited community input, and received over 400 unique comments and suggestions from North Brooklyn residents. Now, the DOT is back in our part of town with suggestions gleaned from the study. The agency presented its findings to BK Community Board 1 on April 10th. Continue reading →
The MTA has seen protests in Brooklyn due to its laissez-faire relationship with the impending L-pocalypse. In response, they’ve promised to make community engagement a “central priority” as the March 2019 L train closure nears. Part of that community engagement was on display last week, when the MTA and the DOT appeared before Brooklyn Community Board 1 to offer a joint presentation to this neighborhood offering new information regarding their plans for alternate service during the transit shutdown. In a word: Ferries.
While the proposed direct ferry route between North Williamsburg and Stuyvesant Cove isn’t technically new (it was part of the MTA’s original L-pocalypse mitigation strategy ominously entitled Planning Ahead for the Crisis), the agency offered new details on the route at last week’s meeting. During the presentation, transit honchos noted that ferry service along the route would run 6:00am-12:00am Sunday through Thursday, and that service may be extended until 2:00 am on Friday and Saturday nights. Continue reading →
The DOT is continuing its community outreach by holding meetings open to the public, so folks can ask questions, make comments and raise fists about the upcoming L train shutdown, aka L-Pocalypse, aka The End Times happening starting in April 2019. Tonight you can attend the third in the series of meetings, held at the Williamsburg Community Center (195 Graham Ave), from 5-8pm—you can feel free to arrive at any point during the meeting. Continue reading →
As part of their plan to engage our extremely concerned local community, the MTA and the NY DOT will be holding an open house meeting on the L train shutdown next Wednesday, January 24th. Last month, the MTA released their plans for the 15-month shutdown of the L line (starting in 2019), to the chagrin of many residents—who felt that what they’ve got in store (more buses, bike lanes, among other things) is simply not enough to fulfill needs of the 200k+ riders who use the line to travel from Brooklyn to Manhattan every day.
Here are the details for the meeting if you wish to air your grievances or ask hard questions: WHAT: Canarsie Tunnel Open House WHEN: Weds, Jan 24, 5pm-8pm WHERE: Progress High School | 850 Grand Street
