14 times • NOVEMBER 5, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com Pol wants public to speak out On Woodhaven Blvd. SBS plan BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport As the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) plan to bring Select Bus Service (SBS) to Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards drives on, one local elected official is urging his constituents to make their voices heard before anything is finalized. State Senator Joseph Addabbo is reminding residents to attend the upcoming series of town hall meetings set up by the DOT regarding its SBS proposal. Since its inception, the proposal has been met with strong opposition from the public and elected officials. Now, the public meetings, set to take place this fall, will give residents the chance to speak up about the SBS plan. The DOT’s plan currently seeks to remove one lane of traffic from Woodhaven- Cross Bay Boulevard in both directions in order to create a dedicated “bus only” lane for the Q52 and Q53 routes while placing pedestrian waiting areas on the median. Addabbo believes that this plan would ultimately add unnecessary congestion to a main roadway that is already overcrowded and would place pedestrians at serious risk, as they would be forced to cross the highly active roadway in a limited time in order to board the bus from the proposed median. “Long after DOT has decided whether to implement this plan in our neighborhoods and move on, we are left behind to deal with the outcome, whether it be good or bad,” Addabbo said. “It is crucial that we help the agency make an informed decision by providing as much input as possible before any plans are set in stone. You may think your opinion does not matter, but in this case, it could not be more important.” When the proposal was first announced, Addabbo organized a bus tour of the route with DOT and MTA officials in August to show them some of the major problems that would be brought about by the SBS plan. Addabbo has continuously encouraged both residents and city agencies to consider the interest of five key categories that would be affected by the implementation of SBS: bus riders, car drivers, pedestrians, local businesses and residential side streets. “This plan would affect more than just the straphangers who ride the buses or the motorists who drive behind them. It would put pedestrians in harm’s way by moving bus stops to medians along an extremely busy Woodhaven- Cross Bay Boulevard,” Addabbo said. Addabbo will inform his constituents of when the DOT town hall meetings will take place as soon as the dates become available. In the meantime, the senator is encouraging residents to frequently check the DOT’s website for information about the SBS proposal. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/File photo Residents are urged to attend upcoming town hall meetings on the DOT’s Select Bus Service plan. Maspeth’s Grand Street Bridge shut down for repairs BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@queenscourier.com @A_GiudiceReport The 112-year-old Grand Street Bridge in Maspeth, which connects Queens and Brooklyn, will undergo three weekends of repairs to fix underdeck stringers, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). The DOT will completely close the bridge to pedestrians and vehicular traffic — in both directions — between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the weekends of Nov. 7 to 8, 14 to 15, and 21 to 22. Variable message signs will be installed to alert motorists of the changes. Metropolitan Avenue may be used as an alternative route. This is not the first time — and probably will not be the last — that this bridge has been shut down for construction. For years, Community Board 5 and local businesses have been advocating for the reconstruction of the narrow, swing-span bridge that opened in 1903. Back in 2013, the Grand Street Bridge was closed for several weekends due to repairs and maintenance, including emergency repairs for a loose roadway plate. The full reconstruction of the bridge has been delayed until at least 2024 for many reasons, so commuters and local business owners will have to deal with sporadic delays and closures. MTA to add temporary bus stops for detoured Q47 line in Maspeth BY KIRSTEN E. PAULSON editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com @RidgewoodTimes Next month, the MTA will add two temporary stops in each direction along the detoured Q47 route in Maspeth.According to the agency, the new stops are being added in order to better serve bus riders who have been inconvenienced by the detour, which is necessary due to the ongoing sewer project on Calamus Avenue that is being undertaken by the NYC Department of Design and Construction. The detour will remain in effect until the project is completed in late 2016. Since the project started, the Q47 was shifted to operate along Grand Avenue between 69th and 79th streets and 69th Street between Grand and 51st/Maurice avenues. The Q47’s normal route is 79th Street between Grand and Calamus avenues; Calamus Avenue between 70th and 79th streets; 70th Street between Calamus and 51st Avenue; and 51st Avenue between 69th and 70th streets. The two temporary Q47 stops will be effective as of Sunday, Nov. 15. They will be added at the following locations: Northbound Q47 to Jackson Heights: • Grand Avenue at 73rd Street • 69th Street at 52nd Drive Southbound Q47 to Glendale: • 69th Street at 53rd Avenue • Grand Avenue at 73rd Street The Department of Environmental Protection is installing larger sewers below Calamus Avenue and 69th Street in order to alleviate flooding problems in the area. Once the Calamus Avenue project is complete, the MTA will restore the Q47 to its original route. Photo via Wikimedia Commons The Grand Street Bridge will be closed for three weekends in November for repairs. Since the project started, the Q47 was shifted to operate along Grand Avenue between 69th and 79th streets and 69th Street between Grand and 51st/Maurice avenues.
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