Supports Legislation Aimed at Providing Significant on Input Street Construction Projects and Pilot Projects
District Leader Frank Gulluscio, State Senator Joseph Addabbo and community activists joined together to call for increased community input in regard to Department of Transportation street constructions projects and pilot projects. Gulluscio and Addabbo highlight the installation of bike lanes across Howard Beach and announce support for increased notification and input before plans are implemented.
“Under the Mayor’s PlaNYC 2030 initiative, Department of Transportation has been charged with implementing projects aimed at making the City greener and more sustainable. The projects are being implemented at a fast pace. We need to make sure the community has adequate input and notification. There are two bills at the City Council now that would address some of these concerns and I support them” said Gulluscio.
Intros. 1063 and 1077 were heard before the Council’s Transportation Committee on Thursday, October 8th. These two pieces of legislation would require the Department of Transportation to present plans to the community sixty days before implementation of certain transportation projects.
“The City Council and Community Boards play a key role in the approval process of the city budget and major land use decisions. It makes sense to codify the role that both should play in these transportation projects”, said Gulluscio.
One change implemented, in 2008, was the installation of bike lanes throughout Howard Beach. These bike lanes are part of the City’s push to promote bicycle ridership as an environmentally friendly and economical mode of transportation in the City. District Leader Gulluscio and State Senator Addabbo joined at the corner of 157th Street and Cross Bay Boulevard to highlight the bike lane on this street and the concerns raised by residents in the district after its implementation.
“My office received numerous calls in regard to these bike lanes when these bike lanes were installed. DOT installed them quickly without request for input from my office or the Community Board. Increased community input often improves projects like these” stated State Senator Addabbo.
“The safety of the pedestrians, the bicyclists and the drivers is what is most important” said Gulluscio “The Department of Transportation can benefit from the knowledge and input local residents bring to the table.”
“We’re not against making changes to our streets; we just believe that the community should be more involved in the process. I think requiring the Department of Transportation to present their plan to the community makes sense” added Betty Braton, a local community activist.
