NEW SPAN PLAN WITHIN SIGHT

The long-awaited replacement of the Kosciuszko Bridge as well as an update regarding the Palmetto Street intermodal project in Ridgewood were the hot topics during the Community Board 5’s Transportation and Public Transit committees’ Dec. 1 meeting at the board’s Glendale office.

Three to five alternate design plans are being considered for the span carrying the Brooklyn Queens Expressway over the Newtown Creek, according to Board 5 Chair person Vincent Arcuri, who is also a member of Kosciuszko Bridge Shareholders Advisory Committee. The new bridge will replace the 70 year old structure deemed obsolete by the New York State Department of Transportation, which is spearhead ing the project.

Arcuri noted that the configura tion of the new bridge was previously resolved to eliminate traffic problems experienced regularly on the existing span. The design of the new bridge, he indicated, would most likely be the option considered by the state to be the fastest and most economical to build.

Negotiations between the state and land owners on both sides of the Newtown Creek, whose properties must be taken in order to build the new bridge, are currently “lagging behind,” Arcuri said. He noted that among the property owners are busi nesses which will need several years to relocate properly.

Regarding the Palmetto Street in termodal facility which links riders of six bus lines with the Myrtle Wyckoff Avenues L train station most of the work has been completed, and the board looked at regulating vehicular traffic through the area.

Chairperson Arcuri noted that a number of passenger and commercial vehicles have been ignoring signage prohibiting them from turning onto Palmetto Street between St. Nicholas and Myrtle avenues, where the inter modal facility is located. Traffic along the block is limited by law to buses and trucks making local deliv eries.

It was suggested that the members of the committee approach both the MTA and the Department of Trans portation to request that increased signage in the area as well as greater enforcement efforts.

Theodore Renz, co chairperson of the Public Transit Committee, did note that there are several other “out standing issues” related to the proj ect, including the re painting of the elevated M train trestle as well as the installation of signage notifying bus drivers and passengers of M and L trains arriving at Myrtle Wyckoff Av enues.

Arcuri said that the committees will schedule a meeting with MTA officials regarding the project and other local transit issues in January.

Other news

District Manager Gary Giordano stated that officials with the Depart ment of Design and Construction (DDC) have requested another meet ing with the committees regarding the reconstruction of the Cooper Av enue underpass on the Glendale/Mid dle Village border. The panel agreed to invite the officials to its January meeting.

Chairperson Arcuri noted that a host of issues related to the project which will repair the retaining walls of the roadway between 74th and 78th streets remain unresolved, in cluding the type of streetlamps to be installed on the wall, the height of the retaining walls and the width of side walks on either side of the roadway.

Giordano noted that the project will begin in 2010.

Overhead gantries have been in stalled where the Long Island Rail Road’s Bushwick branch intersects with Metropolitan and Woodward av enues in Ridgewood, but only small railroad crossing signs have been in stalled on them, according to Arcuri.

The new warning devices were installed based on recommendations stemming from a court case regard ing a March 2004 incident in which a runaway LIRR locomotive travel ing on the Bushwick branch smashed into several cars and trucks at Metro politan Avenue, injuring four people.

“We said they (the state Depart ment of Transportation) needed to light up the crossing,” he said, ob serving that the gantries should be used for the placement of warning lights signaling them that a train is about to roll through.

“Right now, there’s a guy with a flashlight and a flag” there to alert drivers, the chairperson added. “No body’s going to see them.”

Traffic safety requests

Based upon requests submitted by residents in the Board 5 area, the committees agreed to ask the Depart ment of Transportation to investigate the following traffic control changes:

• the prohibition of through truck traffic at the intersection of 56th Av enue and 64th Street in Maspeth;

• the reduction of a bus stop along Metropolitan Avenue eastbound at 75th Street;

• the installation of no standing signs at the southern corner of Dry Harbor Road and 83rd Place in Mid dle Village; and,

• the installation of a stop light at the intersection of Seneca and Greene avenues in Ridgewood.

A resident in attendance sug gested that the board also consider asking the DOT to install a left turn signal at the intersection of Forest Parkway and Park Lane South in Woodhaven, but the committees ad vised him to make the request with the appropriate committee of Com munity Board 9 since the location is within their district confines.

The next Community Board 5 Transportation and Public Transit committees is tentatively scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. at the board’s Glendale office, located at 61 23 Myrtle Ave. For more information, call 1 718 366 1834 during normal business hours.