cm letter to dot re 4th ave project

7/28/2019 CM Letter to DOT Re 4th Ave Project

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June 18, 2013

Ms. Janette Sadik-Khan

CommissionerNew York City Department of Transportation

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Re: Support for DOT Corridor Safety Improvements along 4th

Avenue

Dear Commissioner Sadik-Khan:

We write to express our support for the Corridor Safety Improvements proposed by the

NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) for 4th

Avenue between Pacific Street and 15th

Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn. We appreciate the work that you have done together withcommunity stakeholders to develop new street design solutions that improve safety for all

users. We understand that you are considering some adjustments based on community

feedback, and we look forward to seeing any modifications you propose in the very nearfuture. We ask DOT to move forward this summer with your plan to make 4

thAvenue

safer.

Fourth Avenue is one of the most dangerous corridors in Brooklyn. Between 2007 and2011, 53 people were killed or severely injured in crashes on the 1.4-mile stretch from

Pacific Street to 15th

Street. According to NYPD statistics, within a 16-month period

from 2011 to 2013, there were 421 crashes on 4th

Avenue north of 15th

Street, by far themost in the 78

thPrecinct (the next most dangerous street was Flatbush Avenue, with 283

crashes). Speeding along the corridor likely intensifies injuries resulting from collisions.

At all times of the day, in both directions, well over 50% of vehicles have been recordeddriving above the 30 mile per hour limit.

These statistics tell a story that is confirmed by our constituents, especially as 4th

Avenue

is increasingly home to many families and has numerous local businesses, well-usedsubway stations, and neighborhood schools. We have consistently heard concerns about

unsafe pedestrian crossings from families sending children to the schools along this

stretch of 4th

Avenue. Separate entrances for the north and southbound R train platforms

mean that hundreds of subway riders cross the street on foot during peak hours nearPacific, Union, and 9

thStreets. In many cases, these pedestrians are offered only two-foot

wide medians by the current design. In addition, several narrow intersections with limited

visibility due to opposing left turns pose hazards for drivers that have contributed toscores of crashes in recent years.

THE COUNCIL

OF

THE CITY OF NEW YORK


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DOT conducted extensive community outreach to gather input and share ideas for

improving safety on 4th

Avenue. We were pleased to have taken part in the 4th

AvenueTask Force, convened by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and the

subsequent public planning process organized by DOT with the support of the Park Slope

Civic Councils Forth on Fourth Committee and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.DOT conducted a well-attended public traffic safety workshop for community memberson February 13 to gather input, utilized an innovative online input map (nyc.gov/4thAve),

held an open house on April 9 to display the proposal, met with principals from 6 schools

along the corridor, and made presentations to the CB2 and CB6 transportationcommittees during May to gather feedback.

After having participated in the planning process and having heard from numerous

residents and other stakeholders in our districts and along the corridor, we support yourproposal. The Corridor Safety Improvements you proposesimilar to improvements

implemented on 4th

Avenue in Sunset Park from 15th

Street to 65th

Street last yearwill

narrow traffic from three lanes to two lanes in both directions south of Union Street, andsouthbound north of Union Street (leaving three northbound lanes from Union Street

north toward Flatbush). This will calm traffic, allow for longer turn bays (a major

improvement for drivers), and allow the medians to be significantly widened (a major

improvement for pedestrians). Because left turn bans have worked further south on 4th

Avenueto reduce safety risks for pedestrians and drivers alikeyour proposal will ban

selected left turns along the corridor in pedestrian-heavy locations near subways and

schools, and where opposing left turns have contributed to a large number of crashes.

We are aware that on June 12, 2013, Brooklyn Community Board 6 (CB6) resolved by a

vote of 18 to 9, with 5 abstentions, to disapprove DOTs proposed redesign of 4th

Avenue. During our terms in elected office, there have been very few instances in whichour position on an issue differs with that of a local Community Board, and doing so is not

a decision we take lightly. However, given the severity of the safety risks along 4th

Avenue, we respectfully but strongly disagree with CB6s rejection of the proposal.

In addition, Brooklyn Community Board 2, which represents blocks at the northern end

of 4th

Avenue, voted unanimously 27-0 to support the plan. Community Board 7approved the Sunset Park Section of the plan last year 31-2. We ask you to move

forward to implement the project.

We understand that there are neighbors who were unaware of the proposal and, prior tothis weeks CB6 General Board meeting, expressed strong concerns about the impact of

some parts of the proposed redesign. In response to a number of concerns from residents

on 5th

Street about the proposed southbound left turn ban at 3rd

Street, Council Member

Lander requested that DOT meet with a group of these neighbors on June 10, 2013 torespond to their concerns.

At that meeting, Council Member Lander urged DOT to install a traffic signal at 5th

Streetthe sole intersection along this stretch of 4

thAvenue without onein order to


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make it safer to cross 5th

Street at 4th

Avenue, without any impact on traffic. We reiterate

that request. We appreciate that DOT also committed to investigating other options at 3rd

Street, including a new southbound left-turn signal and a reconfiguration of theintersection. We understand that DOT will report back to the community on your findings

at a meeting that Community Board 6 has scheduled for July 10, 2013, and we looking

forward to hearing your report at that time.

We urge you to move forward with the Corridor Safety Improvements this summer. We

are confident that the redesign will dramatically improve safety for all users along

Brooklyns 4th

Avenue.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Brad Lander Councilmember Stephen Levin

cc: Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

John Dew, Chair, Brooklyn Community Board 2

Daniel Kummer, Chair, Brooklyn Community Board 6

cm letter to dot re 4th ave project

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