[PSN] Support 9th Street Bike Lanes; "Atlantic Yards" Court Hearing Thursday

[Emily Brown]

In This Issue:

1) Take Action: Voice Your Support for DOT's 9th Street Traffic-Calming Plan Today

2) Thursday: Court Hearing in Lawsuit Challenging "Atlantic Yards" Environmental Review

Dear Park Slope Neighbor,

1) Take Action: Voice Your Support for DOT's 9th Street Traffic-Calming Plan Today

 

Last Friday, we asked you to help support the planned 9th Street bike lanes by sending an eFax to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, expressing support for the Department of Transportation's sensible plan for traffic calming on 9th Street.  The plan, which would go a long way in making one of Park Slope's most dangerous streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike, has run into opposition from a small but vocal group of homeowners who mistakenly view the bike-lane component of the plan as an obstacle to double parking.

PSN is working hard to support the 9th Street plan.  We led the fight to stop DOT's ill-conceived effort to alter the traffic patterns on Sixth and Seventh Avenues, but the 9th Street plan is a wholly different animal.  It is a direct response by DOT to serious neighborhood safety concerns, which crystallized in the 1,200 signatures, many from 9th Street residents, collected on a neighborhood petition following three tragic pedestrian deaths on 9th Street in 2004, and the thankfully non-fatal crash of a sedan through the front door of Dizzy's Diner in July 2005.  This is not a case of DOT imposing a top-down "solution" to a non-problem, but a thoughtful effort to address a dangerous situation. Details of DOT's plan are here:

http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/03/29/dots-9th-street-plan/

 

If you haven't had a chance to communicate your support to the Borough President, please take a minute to click the link below and do so now.  It's fast and painless, and will make a difference:

 

http://www.transalt.org/streetbeat/2007/Apr/0419_efax.html

In addition, please phone State Senator Eric Adams, at 718-284-4700, and State Assemblyman Jim Brennan, at 718-788-7221, and tell them that you support bike lanes on 9th Street.   Both have expressed opposition to DOT, and it's important that they hear from all of us who support the plan.  We urge you to call today.

2) Thursday: Court Hearing in Lawsuit Challenging "Atlantic Yards" Environmental Review

As we reported last week, PSN and 25 community groups, block associations and advocacy organizations have filed an Article 78 lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court challenging the validity of the "Atlantic Yards" environmental review.  The suit seeks to annul the project's flawed Final Environmental Impact Statement, and seeks a preliminary injunction preventing any further demolitions of buildings in the project footprint until the court rules on the case.

Oral arguments are scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, May 3rd, at 3:30 p.m., in New York State Supreme Court, Room 130, at 60 Centre Street in Manhattan.  If you are able to make the time, we urge you to attend the hearing to demonstrate your support for the lawsuit.  Click here for directions.

Park Slope Neighbors is proud to stand with Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, the Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods, NYPIRG, the Sierra Club and many others in fighting for greater accountability for the people of Brooklyn, New York City and New York State.

To read a summary of the complaint, and for more information regarding the lawsuit, please click here: http://www.dddb.net/FEIS/summary.php.

See you in court!

Sincerely,

Eric McClure

Campaign Coordinator

Park Slope Neighbors