Open Thread Wednesday

By on July 20, 2022 7:21 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • T.K. Small

    Good morning everyone! I had to wait all night in a pop tent to get this comment in…

    Who is responsible for the new large planters on the corners of Montague Street? I have some concerns about the visibility of pedestrians in the crosswalks.

    Almost 20 years ago a friend of mine in a scooter/wheelchair was hit by a car at the corner of Clinton & Montague and ended up with a severely broken leg and a completely destroyed mobility device. Concerning my friend’s accident, there was a large garbage can that arguably interfered with the site line between the driver and pedestrians.

  • MaggieO

    my best guess would be the Montague Street BID.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Thank you for raising this issue. Clinton & Montague should have curb bumpouts like Henry & Montague. Clinton & Montague is much busier and the cars and trucks parked near the corner greatly reduce the sightlines.

    Also we should ask for interventions at the Intersection of Death (Atlantic & Clinton)—three deaths in the past ten years.

  • KDHicks

    Great write up on Brooklyn Poets’ Montague space in the Eagle… https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2022/07/19/brooklyn-poets-salon-and-workshop-comes-to-brooklyn-heights/

    And excited that Ed Hirsch will be giving a reading along with 40+ other poets on Saturday. Who knows, maybe Montague St. will become a thriving spot for literary culture in the city…

  • T.K. Small

    Indeed, Clinton & Atlantic is a treacherous intersection. However, that would be a different BID organization.

  • William Gilbert

    Agreed. One of the most, if not the most, dangerous streets to cross in the neighborhood.

  • LEFTOVER

    Living at Atlantic & Clinton for 40+years. How about a left turn signal like Court & Atlantic. It would prevent many traffic and pedestrian dangers. Just saying and I am a driver.

  • Andrew Porter

    Photo of 101 Montague Street on Feb. 17, 1916, with, apparently, a construction site to its left:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/69622b21bf57467e922bd2eefbd97db8e9fd8e4ddfac2d2621448e3fd2b14d05.jpg

  • Andrew Porter
  • Mike Suko

    Remember, Atlantic Avenue figures to a large (and scary) extent in ANY serious attempt to remediate the very bad mile of the BQE that largely parallels BBP.

    “If you think it’s dangerous now …”

    I truly cannot figure out why “Traffic agents” – city employees in uniform – at the worst, trickiest corners – are not a high priority. Every boro has intersections like that, and one sees how hard to people in that role at Tillary and Adams work – likely saving lives, because people late to work or “dying” to get home show little respect for yellow & red lights.

    There will have to be more “no turn at this corner” signs and enforcement. That’s the one biggest step toward pedestrian safety that we can make, and it’s a relatively easy one.

    At a deeper level, we need a DOT that gets orders from a serious version of diBlasio who commits to SHARPLY reducing pedestrian and cyclist injuries & fatalities. We certainly need to recognize that “automobile rights” are our version of “gun rights” in red states. LITERALLY! Car owners and allied organizations fight things like speed cameras the same way the NRA fights limits on the number of bullets a gun can hold.

    “Free parking” parallels “open carry” to an uncanny extent. Way too much “Me-me-me” and “MY RIGHTS…” Fortunately, there’s no 2nd Amendment to tie our hands. It’s high time to recognize that those who own & operate cars are making NYC a lot less habitable for the larger number who do NOT. Minority rights have their place, but the tail should not be wagging the dog! As with school shootings, we “shed tears” every time a child is killed by a driver doing 30 or more almost anywhere in NYC. AND THEN NOTHING! Think i’ll never happen again??

    BTW, it’s not enough to respond that most car owners are “good people.” I’m sure that’s true, but when the “bad ones” deal death and mayhem, we need courageous elected officials to “grab the wheel” and change the course we’re on!

  • LEFTOVER

    Thanks Mike, Sorry to say you lost me at the point “At a deeper level”. Why are you ranting about other concerns when all I suggested is a left turn light at Atlantic & Clinton St.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Is this your first time reading one of “Mike Suko’s” comments?

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    LOL

  • LEFTOVER

    Yes it is. Guess I’m missing something?

  • TeddyNYC

    I’m curious why they never did it. It would be the perfect spot for a left turn signal. I always get tense crossing there.

  • Mike Suko

    Guys – one size and style does not fit all. LOL and SMH sometimes prove that size DOES matter … sometimes.

    THERE IS a systemic problem – until/unless the DOT changes from making life better for motorists to making NYC more livable for … ALL, we’re playing whack-a-mole.

    A sign here and a light there – 2-5 years after it was undeniably needed – is simply not good enuf.

    Stop policing grammar and style and start THINKING.

  • Andrew Porter
  • Hazel Fershleiser

    On Montague St, below the UPS Store, there appears to be renovation, site of former dry cleaners. Anyone know what’s coming there?

  • CassieVonMontague

    Brooklyn Women’s Exchange

  • MaggieO

    Ditto. hate that intersection. Especially with my poorly trained, unsocialized, inappropriately parented, wandering child in tow… ;)

  • Mary Kim
  • cara

    Books Are Magic opening a location on Montague!
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cge6nTrsCsD/

  • Banet

    Big news! Books Are Magic is coming to Montague Street!

    The space next to Hagen-Daaz that was previously Brown Harris Stevens and before that was Housing Works and before that was Fish’s Eddy and before that was a crappy magazine stand/candy shop and before that was Montague Street Saloon. (Anyone know what predated Montague Street Saloon?)

    The space is allegedly about 20% bigger than their current location on Smith Street and they hope to be open in October as “the holiday season is make-or-break.”