Mr. Uchenna Mada
New York City Transportation Coordinating Committee
c/o New York State Department of Transportation
47-40 21 Street
Long Island City, New York 11101
January 13, 2009
Dear Uchenna Madu,
As the City Councilmember for District 30, I wholeheartedly support the Maspeth By-pass Project. The Maspeth By-pass Project is vital for our community. It makes our streets safer for pedestrians and motorists, decreases emissions from commercial vehicles, and improves the efficient flow of traffic while reducing congestion throughout the city.
There are several factors that warrant the necessity of the Maspeth By-pass Project. First, there is a heavy concentration of commercial truck traffic at Metropolitan and Flushing Avenues in both eastbound and westbound directions.
Second, the antiquated Grand Avenue Bridge in the center of Maspeth is insufficient to the demands of the 21st century. Its lack of capacity has forced much of the eastbound traffic coming from Brooklyn to continue eastward on Metropolitan Avenue to merge with Flushing Avenue and enter local business areas.
Third, an elementary school, Saint Stanislaus Kosko, a short half block from Flushing Avenue participates in a safe schools to walk program, however, heavy trucks, whenever possible, should not be traveling on streets this close to a school.
Fourth, there are quality of life concerns such as truck traffic shaking buildings as well as environmental issues that warrant the necessity of the Maspeth By-pass Project. The concentration of traffic in this part of my district is unacceptable and needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
Although not part of the Maspeth By-pass Project, I urge the federal government to immediately fund the construction of a new Grand Avenue Bridge that will meet the increasing needs of the 21st Century. A new Grand Avenue Bridge will ease traffic congestion, improve the flow of motorists, make the street safer, decrease harmful emissions and improve the quality of life for the constitutes of my district and the people of New York City.
The necessity of the Maspeth By-pass Project is clear. The immediate community and New York City as whole will substantially benefit from this plan. As the City Councilmember for District 30, I wholeheartedly support the Maspeth By-Pass Project.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Crowley
New York City Council Member, District 30
250 Broadway, Suite 1847
New York City, NY 10007
