4 JULY 25, 2019 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Calling ‘Time out’ on bus lane proposal
BY MAX PARROTT
MPARROTT@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@RIDGEWOODTIMES
Councilman Robert Holden and
Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan
gathered with local business
owners along Fresh Pond Road on
Thursday to call on the Department
of Transportation (DOT) to delay the
installation of the express bus lane
along the highly congested transit
hub.
Holden and Nolan pleaded with the
DOT to institute a “time out” on their
plan to begin the construction at the
end of the summer, reiterating the
concerns of a number of Ridgewood
business owners that the elimination
of parking in front of stores would
detrimental for their shops.
Though both elected officials
expressed their eagerness to cut down
on the bumper-to-bumper congestion
along the street during rush hour, they
proposed alternative recommendations
under the conviction that a bus lane is
too drastic a change.
“All we’re asking on this proposal is
that you try diff erent things fi rst before
go to the nuclear option of putting a bus
lane in,” Holden said.
Aside from the business owners
concerns over their fi nancial interests,
several of those who came to the rally
objected to DOT’s sweeping approach
toward congestion problems.
“The one thing that is the crux of the
problem is that DOT has this narrowminded
thinking that if bus lanes
worked here, then they should work
everywhere. That’s absolutely false,”
said Andy Gouzoulis of Kirsch Realty.
The solutions proposed by Holden and
Nolan echo those suggested Ridgewood
Property Owners and Civic Association,
which were also recommended by
Community Board 5. They include
synchronizing the traffi c lights, limiting
commercial delivery times, adding
turning lanes, consolidating bus stops
and encouraging more rigorous police
enforcement of parking violations.
CB5 District Manager Gary Giordano
added the recommendation of rerouting
a few of the buses that travel along
Fresh Pond Road but don’t operate in
the neighborhood. He said that they
should be assigned to operate a less
crowded bus line instead of the nearby
Fresh Pond Bus Depot.
Holden suggested that it would take
six months to a year of observance to
assess whether these measures were
an eff ective way to reduce congestion.
Neither gave a defi nitive answer as
to how soon they could expect these
changes to be implemented, but Nolan
pointed out that she was “shocked” at
how fast the DOT has moved to put the
bus lane plan in place.
“We’re very concerned that they are
moving too quickly without really
having a dialogue with us. It’s just by
fi at,” she said.
Asked about the Board 5
Transportation and Public Transit
Committees’ conclusion that the
additional metered parking included
in the DOT proposal would resolve the
business communities concerns over
parking, Nolan suggested that this line
of thinking was an unfair criticism by
transit activists.
“You know, there are people in our
city right now who are very anti-car —
and we respect that — but very anti-car,”
she said.
CouncilmanRobert F. Holden, AssemblywomanCatherine Nolan and
business owners from Ridgewood. Max Parrott/QNS
She then added that she believed the
people of Ridgewood overwhelmingly
do not support the bus lane. The
majority of CB5 did recommend
alternatives to the bus lane by a 29-5
vote.
“We think it’s a fair ask to ask the
mayor and DOT to take a look at the
suggestions of the people on the ground,
not in the people have just an ideology
or a goal. The people on the ground
who live here and work here every day
and that’s what this press conference is
about,” said Nolan.
Nolan also said that in the case that
the DOT does not take these suggestions
into account that she would consider
fi ling an article 78 proceeding to appeal
the agency’s decision. “But I’m certainly
hopeful that the mayor will listen to the
voices of this community,” she added.
DOT released the following statement
in response to the press conference:
“DOT has received this feedback
and will take it into consideration for
implementation. However, a robust
solution is needed to fi x the mobility
problems on Fresh Pond Road that have
plagued this commercial corridor.
“Buses, cars and first responders
currently crawl southbound during
late aft ernoon and early evening rush
hour between Bleecker Street and 67th
Avenue on Fresh Pond Road, oft en at
3 miles per hour — slower than the
average person walks. DOT’s design
for this critical corridor will make
traveling faster for all users, and will
benefi t businesses, motorists and the
30,000 daily bus riders using this route.
DOT’s plan is a comprehensive solution,
as opposed to a piecemeal approach,
which we do not believe would achieve
the kind of meaningful results that
the users of Fresh Pond Road need and
deserve.
“We have worked closely with the
business community to address their
concerns and as a result are adding
loading zones and over 60 metered
spaces on the side streets. This and other
feedback from the public, including
CB5 members, has helped inform and
improve the plan, and we will continue
to work with the community as we
move forward.”
Cars cutoff by standing water on Myrtle
Some drivers turned away in fear of getting stuck in this large collection of storm water just east of Freedom Drive on Myrtle Avenue on Tuesday aft er heavy
rains on Monday followed the weekend’s heatwave. Photo: Mark Hallum
/WWW.QNS.COM
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