To the Editor,
This is in response to the opinion piece “NYC DOT works against the best interests of our community” from Community Board 10’s the district manager, chairperson and committee chair.
Like any city entity, CB 10’s No. 1 priority should be the safety of their pedestrians, not parking.
There were two Tremont Avenue four-lane to three-lane conversions, including left-turn lanes — one of them included a bike lane. Petitions were first presented to the community board by concerned residents after one man was killed riding a bike by a hit-and-run driver, while another hit-and-run left someone in a coma. The parents of both of these young men were active and spoke up at rallies wanting justice and the creation of a safer roadway at the crash sites. The DOT surveyed the travel lanes and presented multiple safety measures along this High Priority Vison Zero Corridor to the community board. The board held town halls and counter petitions to prevent both from being installed. The final implementation only enraged those few who were against the projects.
Most anything that DOT has put in front of this board that had to do with traffic control and safety, has been met with either no motions in the committee or a resolution letter requesting DOT to not continue with the presented safety enhancements. Keep in mind that our former councilperson was known as the “safety last” councilman.
During COVID, the public requested a study of the intersection of Crosby, Westchester and Buhre avenues, and the DOT presented an extensive bus bulb, shorter crosswalks and time-delayed crossings. The few people on the local committees are still complaining about the loss of six parking spots, without a concern for the safety of anyone needing the time to cross this six-street corner intersection safely. Oddly enough, they even complained that the granite stones placed to keep cars away from crossing pedestrians were “unsightly.”
We can all get together to mandate police enforcement of the rampant illegal double parking near Miles Avenue.
Our community can now allow our neighbors who don’t find a need to own or lease a vehicle an opportunity to use the rideshare pilot. In the entire footprint of CB10, DOT has approved three locations. The fight is about entitlement in the loss of free curbside parking. Someone actually sabotaged one location by painting the ground black, where the white marking was.
I find it unacceptable that the district manager, and two board members are using their public titles to voice their personal opinions. Neither the carshare or the Westchester Avenue (Hobart to Edison avenues) project produced a motion or a vote.
Lastly, I want to be able to offer my opinion and experience riding a bike to the professionals in City Planning while a plan is still being formulated. But a community board should not be the last point to hold up any enhancements needed for traffic safety. See NYC Council legislation Int 0417.
Kevin Daloia
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