Livable Streets: Safer Streets, Calmer Traffic
The Livable Streets Committee has recently been focused on traffic-calming measures — ways to make local streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.
In the case of motorists, infractions such as illegal U-turns, double parking, passing in bike lanes, and failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks are common on our streets. We have discussed measures such as requesting car services to sign a “safe driving” pledge and suggesting that the 78th Precinct give out preticket warnings. Speeding is a major concern. Digital speed readouts, the Department of Transportation’s 20-mph initiative, and speed bumps are possible solutions.
Regarding bicyclists, we have discussed ways to encourage this method of transportation: bicycle racks on city buses, dedicated places for bicycles on subways, and additional bicycle racks on our sidewalks. There is also a need to educate bike riders to obey traffic rules, and we have discussed the possibility of auxiliary enforcers to assist the 78th Precinct.
We have discussed the need to educate pedestrians to be more safety-conscious and aware of their surroundings. Avoiding jaywalking, texting while crossing streets, and pushing baby carriages into the street without looking are common sense.
At our most recent meeting on Dec. 2, Luke DePalma, the Brooklyn Borough President’s transportation policy liaison, handed out copies of “Safety Tips for All Road Users.” The brochure is filled with good advice, and calls on drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians to “Be Smart. Be Civil. Share the Road.” The publication from Borough President Marty Markowitz is available for download.
Additional ideas are most welcome, as is attendance at our monthly meetings, every first Thursday of the month, 8 a.m. at Ozzie’s, 249 Fifth Ave. (Please confirm date and location using the Civic Council’s online calendar.) You can also e-mail the committee at livablestreets@parkslopeciviccouncil.org.
— Candace Woodward and Judith Lief, Co-Chairs, Livable Streets Committee
Sustainability in Park Slope
Launched earlier this year, the Park Slope Civic Council’s Sustainability Committee advocates for responsible use and conservation of natural resources in our community, and promotes practices with beneficial effects on the environment.
To achieve these goals, we provide information on sustainability issues, such as energy-use reduction, and we educate the community on practical “green” building techniques and methodologies. The committee wants to encourage practices that reduce waste and increase recycling activities, and to increase awareness of sustainability and carbon-footprint issues in our selection of food and other goods.
We also want to work with other groups or initiatives dealing with issues consistent with our goals, and provide them with publicity and assistance. For example, we are co-sponsoring the MulchFest on Saturday, Jan. 8, and Sunday, Jan. 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with the Prospect Park Alliance to gather and mulch as many Christmas trees as possible. Another co-sponsor, Mr. Rubbish, will help us pick up trees from the central blocks of Park Slope and bring them to the park for mulching.
You can bring your trees to two drop-off points in the park: the Third Street and Prospect Park West entrance, and Park Circle at Parkside Avenue and Prospect Park Southwest. At Third Street, you can also re-energize with some hot chocolate and cookies, and pick up free mulch to fortify your garden.
We can always use volunteers to help us with this effort; e-mail sustainable@parkslopeciviccouncil.org for more information.
The committee is working on other projects, including reducing use of plastic bags, enlarging tree pits, distributing local recycling information, and educating the community on energy audits and retrofits.
One new project just getting started is to help Community Board and Greenspace create a temporary community space on the lot at Fourth Avenue and Sackett Street owned by the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
A permanent park plan, called “Site for Greenspace,” was originally developed for that space by Meg Webster. The plan included a large pond, a major walkway, a meadow, several pavilions, and a stage for performances, along with several access hatches incorporated into the design for the still-under-construction Third Water Tunnel. Because DEP now needs more space for access to the pumping station, the plan will have to be revised. More importantly, DEP will not be able to turn over the site until perhaps 2018. However, the department has given the community permission to do something “temporary.” The next steps will be to get a letter of understanding between CB6 and DEP, and for DEP to provide additional fencing and another entrance gate. We anticipate this exciting project will make this space available in the spring.
The Sustainability Committee is seeking more members to help us with these projects and to bring their own ideas to our new group. We typically meet on the third Monday of every month,. Please check the Civic Council’s online calendar to verify dates and locations.
— Robert Gilbert and Chandru Murthi are co-chairs of the Sustainability Committee. For more information, e-mail sustainable@parkslopeciviccouncil.org.
from the December 2010 Civic News