‘They certainly can’t be trusted’
Locals pan city metered parking plans beneath Williamsburg BQE
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
The city wants to completely
transform the long-neglected
wasteland under Williamsburg’s
section of the Brooklyn
Queens Expressway — by
charging you $1.50 an hour to
park there!
North Brooklynites lambasted
a Department of Transportation
scheme to turn disused
lots along Meeker Avenue
into more than 300 metered
parking spaces at a heated virtual
civic meeting Thursday
night, saying locals have been
asking the city to make the
area a nicer community space
for years, not add more car infrastructure.
“This highway has divided
this community in half for
three generations,” said Greenpoint
resident Kevin LaCherra
at Community Board 1’s Transportation
Committee meeting
on Nov. 5. “We’re starting to
think about and talk about what
this space can be going forward
into the future, whether it can
be parks or basketball courts,
whether it can hold stormwater,
COURIER L 4 IFE, NOV. 13-19, 2020
green infrastructure,
parks, whatever it may be —
paid parking was never a part
of that conversation.”
DOT pitched the project as a
way to regulate the space that
currently has free parking,
while also cleaning up rampant
illegal dumping and moving out
people experiencing homelessness
that have set up encampments
there.
“We believe that this proposed
parking facility is now
needed and will add to the
positive ongoing changes to
the neighboring communities
of Williamsburg and Greenpoint,”
Carlos Torres, the agency’s
director of parking facilities
management, read from a
prepared statement. “This proposed
facility will have regulated
parking and continued
maintenance and serve as an
asset to the community.”
The revamp will start its
fi rst phase from Metropolitan
Avenue to Leonard Street, before
continuing all the way to
Morgan Avenue, and street
planners claimed the overhaul
will pave the way for a longawaited
Meeker Avenue bike
lane, which offi cials will present
to the board in early 2021.
The board’s district manager
didn’t buy those promises,
saying DOT should come back
with fully-fl edged plans.
“DOT speak with forked
tongue,” said Gerald Esposito.
“If this is the beginning of this
wonderful area that’s going to
be under the expressway that
they’re going to promote and
do, then let’s see the full package,
because they certainly
can’t be trusted.”
A rep for Councilman Stephen
Levin’s offi ce added that
the pol and many residents
have complained about the garbage
for years and that the city
should not dress up an unpopular
proposal with basic municipal
services.
“That is something that
our city has a responsibility to
address, that is why we have
a Department of Sanitation,
that should not be as a goodie
or something offered as bait
to move forward a plan,” said
Elizabeth Adams, who is also
running for Levin’s seat. “I do
think it’s important that we
not use extortionist methods to
make decisions around parking
when we have such urgent public
space needs for our city.”
Even though the community
board does not have
veto power for the project,
the committee unanimously
passed a symbolic motion to
oppose DOT’s plans.
DOT wants to turn three blocks of Meeker Avenue beneath the BQE, seen
here at the intersection of Union Avenue, into more than 300 metered
parking spots. Google Maps
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