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Guest Post by Assm. Joe Lentol on MTA Situation

Assemblyman Joe Lentol Responds to MTA's Vote on Fare Hikes

I, like you, am extremely upset that the mass transit situation in New York City has gotten to this dire point. I want my constituents and neighbors to know that I have been doing everything in my power to save the subway system including regular dialogues with MTA Chair Eliot Sander and with the architect of the bailout plan Richard Ravitch. I have even brought Mr. Ravitch into our neighborhoods to ride the G train so he could experience the G train's shortcomings for himself. I have emphasized the importance of the B48 and the B24 to both the MTA and Mr. Ravitch. I have discussed many times how important it is to keep fares low and trains and buses running regularly, in order to keep this city and working families afloat. New York City is the engine of the state, and the transit system is the engine of the New York City. We cannot let the MTA go under.

So most importantly, I have supported the bailout plan put forth by the Assembly and supported by the MTA. The Assembly plan would keep the transit system running, keep fares low, prevent service cuts to buses and subways and adequately fund the MTA capital plan. While it does put tolls on the bridges it keeps them low, $2.00, the same as a subway ride. This plan has been supported by many of our city newspapers' editorial boards and transportation advocacy groups. I understand how absolutely vital affordable subway and bus transportation is to Brooklyn families. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure that New Yorkers continue to have access to this essential resource.

I want to assure you that the clock has not yet run out. The fare increase is not scheduled to take effect until the end of May. While there is absolutely no excuse for letting it get this far, time has not run out, there is still time to save the system. There is still time for others in government to come around and accept the Assembly's plan or for us to forge a new plan if that is what it takes. I will do whatever necessary to assist with this up in Albany. In the meantime I want to encourage you to make your voices heard. Everyone, at all levels of government, needs to understand, as many of us already do, just how important this is to New Yorkers. Together we can make sure that the subway and buses get the help they need, just in time.

-Assemblymember Joseph R. Lentol

Guest Post: Safe Biking in North Brooklyn

Because building safe on-street bicycle facilities is being debated hotly in the community, we invited Andrew Barwick, the biker in the limo-bike crash last week, to weigh in with his view of how to make biking safer in our neighborhood.

(Since there is a tendency for "flame wars" to break out over bike-related issues, I would urge you to read our comment guidelines in the sidebar before posting a response)

To those unaware, Community Board 1 is currently in a debate over whether or not to install a bike lane on Kent Avenue. According to bike lane foes, Williamsburg is already saturated with enough bike lanes running North-South, and that to earmark more road space on Kent avenue would be overkill. Teresa Toro's (Committee Chair of CB1) very logical argument against this reasoning is, that because Kent Avenue is the shortest, most direct route between north and south Brooklyn, it is naturally favored by cyclists and motorists alike. I myself rarely use the lanes on Wythe and Bedford/Berry, unless I am forced off of Kent by a glut of construction vehicles. I won't go into the various advantages of Kent over neighboring streets (less intersections, scenic waterfront views, etc.) in the interest of space.

As a cyclist who uses Kent to get to and from work everyday, I am well aware of the dangers in using it, and I exercise the additional requisite caution and respect. And yet still on Tuesday morning, while cycling to work northbound on Kent Avenue at N 7th Street, a south-bound Northside Car & Limo sedan made a left-hand turn on to N 7th Street directly across my path. The driver neither yielded nor slowed even though I was presently crossing the intersection. To avoid going up onto his hood, I had to slam on both brakes, the sudden stop flipping me over the handebars, and throwing me directly in front of his bumper. Reckless driving habits aside, this driver might have been more cautious had there been a bike lane present to alert him to the possible presence of cyclists.

Personally I believe a bike lane on Kent Ave would underline to motorists, that YES, this is a multi-use roadway and not a freeway. It would encourage motorists to anticipate the presence of cyclists and other users, even if none are immediately visible. This would do a great deal towards preventing accidents. A bike lane would also encourage cyclists to ride on the correct side of the road, as well as in the correct direction by accommodating a piece of roadway in which to do so.

I will be the first to admit that while the burgeoning bike culture in New York is a great thing, it has brought with it terrible road etiquette and behavior exhibited by new cyclists and those that simply can't be bothered. Bike lanes are a reminder to cyclists as well, that like motorists, they themselves have a responsibility for their own decisions and actions on the road.

We all share the same streets to get to where we need to go, conveniently and safely. Sometimes we give a greater priority to getting someplace quickly over using our common sense in certain situations. It is my hope that through better roadway design and markings, driver/cyclist education, and activism; that bicycling will someday soon gain widespread acceptance as a viable mode of transportation in the city for those that choose it.

Andrew Barwick

Guest Post: Assm Joe Lentol Responds to Posting About MTA Site

We're heartened to see that all our posting at the NAG blog has not gone and wandered off unnoticed into virtual space. State Assembly Member Joe Lentol wrote in to respond to our post on the MTA site at 65 Commercial Street.

Dear NAG:
I am really excited to see people starting to talk about the 65 Commercial Street site. In recent months, I have been working hard to push the MTA and the city to do something about this issue and it is always helpful when you can go back to them and show that the community is becoming concerned as well. Below you can see my most recent letter to the Chairman Hemmerdinger. Since sending this letter, I hosted a meeting at my office for the MTA Director of Governmental Affairs and several members of our community.
Two important developments came out of that meeting. First, the MTA agreed that since they are unable to find one big site to move into, that they would divide their facility and look for two smaller sites for relocation. Their willingness to split their facility, gives them much more flexibility.
Since that meeting, the MTA has written me and told me that they have actually identified two smaller sites that look promising. They are currently doing a more in-depth analysis to see if these new site will allow the MTA to vacate the facility in Greenpoint. While I know better than to get my hopes up, I am cautiously optimistic that the flexibility established at the meeting in my office will pay off.

Post continues...

Regardless of whether these sites will work, I hope the MTA now understands just how committed this community is to having a park and not a storage facility at 65 Commercial Street. I look forward to working with them and this community to ensure that we get the open space we deserve. It was great to see the issue mentioned on your new blog and I will be sure to point out the community support in my next communication with the MTA about the park. Keep up the good work!

Sincerely
Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol
50th District, Brooklyn

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May 6, 2008

Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger
Metropolitan Transit Authority
347 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Dear Chairman Hemmerdinger:

I am writing to you about an issue I consider to be of utmost importance. As you may know, when the city rezoned the Greenpoint waterfront, there was an agreement between the MTA and the New York City Parks Department regarding the MTA property at 65 Commercial Street. In April of 2005 the MTA committed to actively seek out an alternative site for their facility and to move from 65 Commercial Street. The plan for the space is to become a desperately needed park for the community. Enclosed, please find copies of letters regarding this, as well as the waterfront rezoning points of agreement between the MTA and New York City Parks Department.

Greenpoint is a rapidly growing neighborhood and according to NYC Parks Dept. there is no green space above Greenpoint Avenue and only one playground for parents to take their children. The community is anxiously awaiting this park and the youth soccer field which is planned for it. I am writing to request a status report on this search as it has now been over three years that the community is waiting for a park. I am hopeful that this will be a priority under your administration. I look forward to working with you to ensure that this community gets the much needed green space it was promised and so badly needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to call [XXXX].

Sincerely,
Joseph R. Lentol