According to the NYC Department of Transportation website a large number of Brooklyn streets will be entirely or partially closed tomorrow (Thursday, October 31) for some period of time in order to facilitate Halloween trick-or-treating. The only street in Brooklyn Heights affected is Joralemon, from Hicks down to Furman. It will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4:00 until 8:00 PM. The closure is at the behest of the Willowtown Association.

Photo: C. Scales for BHB

The last Open Streets Montague of 2024, this  Sunday, October 27 from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM, will, appropriate to the impending Halloween, feature a “Spooktacular” presented by Montague Diner, which will be serving warm drinks and Halloween treats all day long. Among the activities will be a dog costume contest, face and pumpkin painting, a sing along, and a spooky reading presented by Books Are Magic. There’s a full schedule and more information here. Another Halloween related activity will be presented by Brett McMullen, A.I.A. of McMullen Architecture, who will be on Montague between Henry and Hicks from noon until 5:00 and help those of all ages to design and build a haunted house. Photo and more information here. Thanks to the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, 137 Montague, between Clinton and Henry, from noon until 5:00 you can meet Dennis J, Taylor, “a talented woodcarving artisan who handcrafts unique figurines.” More information here. As they have throughout the season, Chama Mama will have a free lemonade stand, with tasty morsels of cheese bread, between Henry and Hicks from noon until 4:00.

Last but certainly not least, a “bloodmobile” will be in front of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, 157 Montague (near the corner of Clinton) from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM. New York City is having a “blood shortage emergency.” All blood types are needed, but type “O” donors, whose blood is in especially short supply, will be given rewards. If you want to donate, please register here; there’s more information here.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

This Sunday’s (October 20) Open Streets Montague will include several attractions arranged by City Council Member Lincoln Restler. Starting at 1:00 PM between Clinton and Henry streets, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus will present a free “Flatbed Follies” (see photo) performance, featuring “acrobats, jugglers, clowns, and contortionists” as well as a “singing ring-mistress.” From noon until 3:00 PM between Henry and Hicks streets, Council Member Restler and the NYC Department of Transportation are sponsoring free fittings and distribution of bike helmets for all ages. No advance registration is required; children must be accompanied by an adult. From noon to 3:00 between Clinton and Henry Council Member Restler and Bike New York will present a Bike Bonanza, giving kids an opportunity to trade bikes and offering them free riding lessons; bring your own bike and helmet. You must register here; children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Finally, thanks to Council Member Restler, from noon until 3:00 between Henry and Hicks you may get free compost; one or two forty pound bags which you must arrange to transport yourself. You want? Please reserve here.

Other events at this week’s Open Streets include a free concert by JAW, the “teen band sensation,” under the tent between Henry and Hicks starting at 3:00. From noon until 3:00 in front of Chama Mama, 121 Montague (between Henry and Hicks) there will be a stand giving free lemonade “and tasty bite-sized Khachapuri (cheese breads).” From noon until 5:00 in front of 115 Montague (between Henry and Hicks) L’Apéro by L’Appartement 4F will be selling “to-go tahini cookie sundaes and charcuterie boxes featuring our signature selection of saucisson and cheeses” as well as “natural biodynamic (and unbelievably delicious) wine” which you may take to the Adults Only “Sip Spot” at the corner of Montague and Henry.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

Photo © John Huntington; used with permission.

This Sunday, October 6, you may bring your pet, a favorite stuffed animal, or a photo of either to the front of 157 Montague Street, between Clinton and Henry, at 1:00 PM, to receive a blessing from The Rev. Canon John Denaro (photo above), Rector of St, Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. More info here.

From noon until 5:00 PM on Montague between Henry and Hicks you can get a look at the sports sensation that is sweeping the nation by watching the Montague Open Pickleball Tournament (sorry; all slots to participate are full).  Meanwhile, between Clinton and Henry, kids 12 and under can sharpen their soccer skills with Super Soccer Stars.

Hungry or thirsty? There’s much on offer. From noon to 5:00 PM Chama Mama’s Lemonade Stand, in front of 121 Montague, between Henry and Hicks, will offer “some fresh made lemonade and tasty bite-sized treats, including Khachapuri (cheese breads), skewers, and honey cake.” Chama Mama will also offer free lemonade for kids with their parents’ or caretakers’ lunch order. And, as every Sunday, L’Apéro by L’Appartement 4F will be outside 114 Montague, between Henry and Hicks, from noon to 5:00 PM,”serving to-go tahini cookie sundaes and charcuterie boxes featuring our signature selection of saucisson and cheeses.” Your correspondent, his wife and daughter can all attest to the deliciousness of their offerings.

Traffic will be closed (except for emergency vehicles) on Montague between Clinton and Henry and between Henry and Hicks between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

This year’s Atlantic Antic (photo above from a previous year) will take place on Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue this coming Sunday, September 29, from noon until 6:00 p.m., rain or shine. Local merchants will be represented, with special deals for the occasion, along with food, music, dancers, visual artists, clothing vendors, and fun sites for kids. There’s a festival map here. It’s sponsored by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation.

The Brooklyn Book Festival will have its always popular Children’s Day on Saturday, September 28 from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM at Brooklyn Commons. There’s a schedule of events here. The Festival Day is on Sunday the 29th from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM at locations on Borough Hall Plaza, Columbus Park, and Cadman Plaza East, as well as nearby indoor venues. There’s a complete schedule here.

Open Streets Montague this Sunday will transform Montague between Henry and Hicks into Rue Montague, as L’Appartement 4F invites you to “[e]xperience the magic of Paris on Montague Street … [s]avor fresh crepes, enjoy live music, and learn French with CouCou — all without even needing a passport.” As was done last Sunday, sundaes, charcuterie, and wine will be served, and you may take the wine to the adults-only Sip Spot near the corner of Montague and Henry. Traffic will be closed (except for emergency vehicles) on Montague between Clinton and Henry and between Henry and Hicks between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Photo: Chuck Taylor

On April 15 your correspondent took this photo of a “big rig,” a diesel powered tractor with an attached, very long, cargo carrying trailer, trying to navigate the corner from Montague to Hicks Street. Now Mary Frost in The Eagle has chronicled how this same truck, which makes deliveries to Key Food Montague,

has been unleashing chaos on the streets of Brooklyn Heights for over a year, and residents near Montague Street, the neighborhood’s main shopping strip, are bursting with frustration at the city’s seeming inability to solve the problem.

Ms. Frost’s story describes how the truck has damaged other vehicles while making tight turns, and blocked emergency vehicles, forcing them to take circuitous routes. She quotes City Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who noted that trucks of that size are not allowed on narrow streets like those in Brooklyn Heights, that he has worked with the Department of Transportation to modify provisions for delivery truck parking, unfortunately to no effect, and with the 84th Precinct to improve enforcement. State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon is also quoted, saying “the law banning oversized trucks from city streets is not new” and that “it’s being ignored.” She suggested it was up to Mayor Adams to take action.  Ms. Frost also quotes Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Lara Birnback, who said, “[t]he BHA has raised this issue numerous times with all of the involved stakeholders and unfortunately, the issue continues to frustrate.”

Finally, Ms. Frost quotes the owners of Key Food Montague, who say they have tried many times to get the truck’s owner, Unified Natural Foods, Inc. (“UNFI”), to deal with the problem. Co-owner Enrico Palazio said he sent UNFI a letter reading, in part, “[w]homever [sic] assigns our driver please instruct them not to block Hicks Street.” However, it doesn’t seem this instruction could always be followed so long as the “big rig” is being used. If parked vehicles are making the turn from Montague to Hicks difficult, the driver’s only option would be to continue to the end of Montague and try to turn onto Pierrepont Place, which could present the same problem.  The only effective solution to the problem is to return to the earlier practice of using smaller trucks. This would necessitate more frequent deliveries, and be more costly.

This coming Sunday, September 22, L’Apero at L’Appartement 4F

will be outside serving to-go tahini cookie sundaes and charcuterie boxes featuring our signature selection of saucisson and cheeses. Grab a can of natural biodynamic (and unbelievably delicious) wine to enjoy on the Promenade or at the Montague Sip Spot adults only area at the corner of Henry Street.

Kids get a benefit, too. Free lemonade with your parents’/guardians’ lunch. This offer lasts through December 24.

Traffic will be closed (except for emergency vehicles) on Montague between Clinton and Henry and between Henry and Hicks between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

We’ve been advised by Anita Navalurkar of the Department of Transportation that single lane closures of the BQE Central, the portion below Brooklyn Heights, will continue through July. One Queens bound lane will be closed unil July 31st from Atlantic Avenue to Washington Street Monday through Friday from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM; Saturday from 1:00 AM to 6:00 AM; and Sunday from 1:00 AM to 9:00 AM. The entrance ramp from Atlantic Avenue will also be closed during these times. One Staten Island bound lane will be closed from the Vine Street entrance ramp to Atlantic Avenue Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM; Saturday from 1:00 AM to 6:00 AM; and Sunday from 1:00 AM to 9:00 AM. There will be no lane closures Thursday, July 4.

This Sunday, June 30, will be the last Open Streets Montague of the spring to early summer session; Open Streets will return on September 15 for a session lasting each Sunday into the fall. This Sunday’s event, on Montague between Clinton and Henry and between Henry and Hicks from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM, will feature “a vibrant streetscape curated by Zoescope Studio. Supporting this are the office of Council Member Lincoln Restler and the NYC Department of Transportation’s Open Streets. From 1:00 to 4:00 there will be face painting, fun with hoops, and sounds by DJ Astra Soul.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

Update: Open Streets Montague has been cancelled for this Sunday, June 23, because of predicted extreme heat. The final Open Streets Montague before the summer break will be next Sunday, June 30. We’ll let you know what’s on the schedule soon, so stay tuned.

This Sunday, June 23, Open Streets Montague will feature a performance on electric guitar by Larry Simon (photo, courtesy his website) who deserves the perhaps over-used accolade “multi-talented,” being a musician, composer, author, and collaborator with poets, both living and dead. Larry will be performing from noon until 1:00, either between Clinton and Henry or between Henry and Hicks – the website doesn’t specify – but we’re sure you’ll be able to hear and find him. Following Larry’s session, starting at 1:00 between Clinton and Henry, Danse Theatre Surreality will perform an excerpt from their work Shadowboxing in Blue, that “explores self-awareness through various lenses: fantasy, laughter, struggle, and tenderness.” From 2:30 to 3:30 (again location not specified) a local duo, The Rogue Connections, will perform “all your favorite folk and rock hits.”

What about the kids? From noon until 5:00, between Clinton and Henry, Super Soccer Stars will teach kids 2 1/2 through 7 “the fundamental[s] of the game in a fun, non-competitive way.”

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

This Sunday, June 16, is Father’s Day and, at Open Streets Montague, local businesses have lots to offer dads. Visit the Orange Theory table between Clinton and Henry from noon until 5:00 to sign up for a gift and a week of free classes. From noon until 3:00 between Henry and Hicks he can try his skill at the Olympic sport of curling, courtesy of the Brooklyn Curling Center. If he’s hungry Chama Mama, 121 Montague, between Henry and Hicks, will offer a special Father’s Day menu from noon until 5:00. More info and reserve a table here.

At 3:30, at the tent between Henry and Hicks, the P.S, 8 Junior Theater Club will perform songs from “Grunch,” their most recent production. There will be activities for the kids: Super Soccer Stars will teach kids 2 1/2 to 7 the game’s basics “in a fun, non-competitive way” from noon to 5:00 between Clinton and Henry; and from noon to 5:00 kids from 3 through 9 can “Create a Magical Raindrop” thanks to Brooklyn Trails. No location is specified; it’s somewhere between Clinton and Henry or Henry and Hicks; we’re sure you can find it. There’s a complete schedule of events here.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

This Sunday, June 2, the theme of Open Streets Montague will be “Celebrate Pride on Montague.” From noon until 4:00 between Henry and Hicks staff and volunteers from the Brooklyn Cat Cafe will help you make tie-dyed Pride bandanas. From 2:00 to 3:00 near the tent between Henry and Hicks the Brooklyn Irish Dance Company will present “Reimagine Irish Dance”, providing gender inclusive lessons and performance. From 3:45 to 5:00 under the tent in front of Saketumi at 118 Montague, between Henry and Hicks, there will be “Siren Songs with Bouy the Mermaid Opera Singer.” She and her pirate piano accompanist Capt Emma will do two shows, one beginning at 3:45 and the other at 4:15. From 12:30 to 1:00, near the same tent, HYPE Dance Community will host a dance party for kids under 5 where they can “de-stress and have a blast.” From 1:30 to 3:30 between Clinton and Henry Elite Bklyn Jumpers will demonstrate and give lessons in Double Dutch rope jumping. From noon to 5:00 the newly renovated Haagen-Dazs store at 120 Montague, between Henry and Hicks but near Henry, will give a free mini cup of ice cream with every purchase. There’s even more going on, including several local businesses offering free classes to get or keep you in top shape. A complete schedule of what’s available is here.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

On Saturday, June 8, from 4:00 to 9:00 PM at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 3 Plaza, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy will host its “Big Summer Pride Twirl,” an all-ages free dance party presented by Papi Juice, with sets by DJs Venus X and Kia, and a performance by drag queen Essa Noche. It’s for “all ages,” but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. There’s more information and RSVP here.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

If you’re in town this Memorial Day weekend Open Streets Montague, on Sunday, May 26, has much to offer. This is “kitten season,” when feral or semi-feral mother cats often deliver litters, and the kittens too often “end up on the street or in shelters.” On Montague between Henry and Hicks, from noon until 4:00, the Brooklyn Cat Cafe will give instruction on “how you can help cats and their kittens.” Do your eyebrows need attention? The European Wax Center, 130 Montague, will have a Brow Party, with free eyebrow service, from noon until 5:00. Could your child be a future men’s or women’s soccer star? From noon until 5:00 between Henry and Hicks Super Soccer Stars will give free lessons “in a fun, non-competitive way” to kids from 2 1/2 through 7. Need some sun protection? SunMi James at 120 Montague, will be giving free samples from noon to 5:00. Want to hear some hot R&B? The Morrisania Band Project will be serving up soulful sounds from 1:00 to 3:00. No location is specified, but you should be able to hear and find them easily. There’s more information on everything here.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

Photo: Brooklyn Cat Cafe

As reported by Mary Frost in The Eagle, all Queens bound lanes of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street will be closed Saturday, June 1 through Monday, June 3. The bulk of the work will be done in two locations: near the foot of Grace Court and near the foot of Clark Street. The Queens bound on ramp from Atlantic Avenue will be closed, as will four other ramps further south. Left turns from Atlantic to Hicks and to Clinton will not be allowed. Planned detour routes are shown here.

This Sunday, May 12, will be the first Sunday for Open Streets Montague this year. It’s also Mother’s Day, so businesses along Montague will be offering moms a cornucopia of freebies and special deals, and there will be a class and performance by the Brooklyn Ballet. There’s more information here.

Montague Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Clinton and Henry streets and between Henry and Hicks streets from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sunday. Parked cars on those blocks will have to be moved before 10:00 AM.

Open Streets Montague, made possible by the businesses of Montague Street and by the NYC Department of Transportation, produced by the Montague Street BID, with support by the Brooklyn Heights Association, will be held on Sundays from 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM beginning May 12 and continuing through June 30. On these days from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM there will be no vehicular traffic or parking on Montague between Clinton and Henry or between Henry and Hicks.

There’s a schedule of activities for each Sunday, May 12 through 26, here. Note that on May 19 Montague will “go to the dogs,” with many activities and treats for pooches and their people.

We have been advised by the NYC Department of Transportation that a single lane of the Queens bound portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway from Atalantic Avenue to Sands Street will be closed from midnight to 5:00 AM starting today and continuing each night through Friday, May 10. The Queens bound entrance ramp from Atlantic Avenue to the BQE will also be closed during these times.

Despite the protestors who prevented Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from speaking (see previous post) at the Brooklyn Heights Association’s Annual Meeting, much else was accomplished. As reported by Mary Frost in the Eagle, BHA president Koren Volk (photo), whose term ends soon, although she will remain on BHA’s board of directors, gave an account of BHA accomplishments over the past year, but focused her talk on the ongoing challenges and opportunites facing the neighborhood. She noted that the Federal Department of Transportation had rejected the NYC DOT’s request for funding to reconstruct the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway’s cantilevered section below Brooklyn Heights, and credited this to community opposition, including that of the BHA. She announced the launch of the BQE Environmental Justice Coalition, which will unite the Heights with other communities along the BQE to the north and south in concerns about the highway’s environmental impact. The launch event will take place at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, April 10, at the triangle at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 16th Street.

Ms. Volk also spoke about the BHA’s “Public Realm” initiative, noting that a survey conducted by the BHA showed support for improved pedestrian access on Montague and other neighborhood streets. She said the BHA is committed to, as the Eagle story reports: “expanded sidewalks, more loading zones [to reduce double parking], traffic calming measures and ‘daylighting’ at intersections.” She credited City Council Member Lincoln Restler, who was present, along with the Cadman Park Conservancy, and the city Department of Parks for the replacement of the artificial turf in the park, and thanked dog owners for keeping their pets off the new turf. Ms. Volk also praised new businesses opening in the Heights, and announced that the Montague Diner, taking the former Happy Days Diner space and becoming a “bistro” during evening hours, will open on March 15.

There was a question and answer session during which, as the Eagle reports, it was asked “what’s happening with the Bossert Hotel (no one knows), and if a new homeless shelter is planned in the neighborhood (not that the BHA is aware of).” BHB stalwart Andrew Porter asked if more bishop’s crook lampposts would be installed in the North Heights. He was told that a contract was going out to bid, but it could be some time before any new lampposts are installed.

The meeting concluded with the Civic Service Awards, which were presented by Heights resident and former WNET-13 staff announcer Tom Stewart. One went to the Brooklyn Public Library in honor of its “Books Unbanned” program, which allows electronic access to books banned locally anywhere in the nation. It was accepted on behalf of BPL by Rachel Tiemann, librarian and branch manager of BPL’s Brooklyn Heights Branch. The other award went to The Service Collective, organized by two Heights moms, Sarah Robertson and Amanda Jones, who wanted ways for their kids to engage in community service. Through The Sevice Collective, kids are now, as the Eagle story notes, active in projects “from filling the community fridge, to gardening, shopping for homebound neighbors and creating ‘adopt an animal’ cards for local shelters.” Ms. Jones accepted the award. The Service Collective was also honored as one of the BHB Ten for 2023.

Mary Frost’s Eagle story contains what she calls some “chilling” information about the City Department of Transportation’s and Mayor Adams’s plans for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway beyond the urgent repair work now underway. The bad news for Brooklyn Heights is that these plans would include demolition of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade (although it would eventually be replaced by “something bigger and better”) and temporary removal of the bridge that carries Columbia Heights over the BQE, along with the Harry Chapin Playground and part of Squibb Park. This would eliminate direct access by foot, bicycle or auto, from the Heights to the Fulton Ferry District, DUMBO, and the northern parts of Brooklyn Bridge Park, including the new skating rink and Jane’s Carousel. It would also deny Heights dog owners any practicable access to the Hillside Dog Park. The purpose of this is to create clearances that would accommodate larger trucks (although ones that would supposedly comply with the now enforceable weight limits, presuming those limits, which could protect a rebuilt BQE from future damage, would remain in effect).

The good news is that we have allies. Communities all along the BQE to our north and south, as Ms. Frost reports, have a common interest in avoiding the increased air pollution and noise from an expanded BQE. We also have allies in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, Borough Hall, the City Council, and the State Senate and Assembly. The national Public Interest Research Group has, responding to a nomination by the Brooklyn Heights Association, included the proposed expansion of the BQE among its “Highway Boondoggles of 2023.” A newly formed group, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Environmental Justice Coalition, has sent an open letter to Governor Kathy Hochul with this request:

We urge your office and agencies to work together to (1) release any recently submitted grant applications for federal funding, and (2) create a comprehensive community-led plan centered on racial justce and equity that addresses the environmental and health impacts of air pollution, reconnects our communities, and meets our climate targets.

According to Ben Brachfeld in amNY, starting this week northbound trucks on the cantilevered portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway below Brooklyn Heights that exceed the 80,000 pound weight limit will be charged $650 fines. The weight sensors have been operative for three months, but until now overweight trucks have been given warnings. The sensors for the southbound (lower level) lanes haven’t yet been put in operation, but will be soon. This will begin a three month warning period followed by enforcement on the southbound lanes.

The amNY story quotes City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez as saying the warnings have been effective in reducing overweight traffic. He said there was “a sharp decline in overweight vehicles since we began issuing warnings in August and we expect that the program will continue to remove overweight trucks from our streets.”

More details are in the amMY article. Thanks to reader Andrew Porter for alerting us.

For the first time in many weeks, no rain is being forecast for this Saturday, October 28. Open Streets Montague, presented by the Montague BID, promises to be a “SPOOK-tacular” pre-Halloween event, with local merchants inviting trick-or-treaters; free pumpkins while they last from a Pumpkin Patch; Halloween themed games, fitness, and dance events; music by Brooklyn’s own youth band JAW from 3:00 to 4:00 pm between Henry and Hicks; and a preview of the Brooklyn Folk Festival (coming November 11-13; details here later) featuring Caroline Kuhn from 2:00 to 3:00 pm between Henry and Hicks and from 3:00 to 4:00 pm between Clinton and Henry. The Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, 137 Montague (below the UPS store) from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm will feature a demonstration of woodcarving by Dennis Taylor. and from 2:00 to 4:00 pm Brooklyn Slime will be in front of the store to allow you to “sample some slime, learn some slime tricks and see the latest fall collection.” Photographer Amy Gibbs will be near 125 Montague from noon until 4:00 pm to photograph you, your children, or your pets. As always, there will be an adults only “Cocktail Co-Op” where you may take your drink (and food) from any local source to enjoy. It will be between Clinton and Henry from noon unti 6:00 pm. There’s a complete schedule of activities and locations here.

The weather forecast has become more optimistic for Saturday, with rain expected to be heaviest late Friday into the night, but decreasing Saturday morning, so the Montague BID is going ahead with plans for Open Streets Montague this Saturday, October 21, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. One feature of this Saturday’s Open Streets will be the grand opening of Barry’s Bootcamp fitness studio at 200 Montague, between Clinton and Henry. during which you can “get samples from their Fuel Bar, meet the Celsius team, get free supplies, and spin the wheel to win special Barry’s giveaways all day long.” There will also be a Hype Dance Party and Giant Game Zone for kids, a Cocktail Co-Op for adults, music by the Morrisania Band Project, a giveaway of lawn and leaf bags for composting, and “no tricks, just treats” discounted services and products from the European Wax Center at 130 Montague, between Clinton and Henry. There’s more information here.

The Montague BID reports that, despite last Saturday’s rain, people showed up at the Bloodmoble and donated sufficient blood to save 81 lives.

Anita Navalurkar, of the NYC Department of Transportation, has supplied information (see below) concerning the re-routing of traffic in Brooklyn during repair work on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway this coming weekend — early Saturday morning, October 14 to early Monday morning, October 16. There’s a detailed description of the planned traffic changes, with maps, here.

Some preparatory work is being done at the repair locations under Clark Street and under Grace Court this weekend. “The contractor will install formwork, sandblast existing rebars and install new rebars and install temporary striping and signage.

The city Department of Transportation’s Anita Navalurkar has given us notice of the traffic effects of planned BQE repair work below Grace Court and Clark Street from 2:00 AM Saturday, October 14 to 5:00 AM Monday, October 16. During this period: (1) the “Queens bound BQE will be fully closed from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street”; and (2) the “Staten Island bound BQE will be partially closed with only one lane available; and the Vine Street/Old Fulton Street ramp will be closed.” Furman Street will be southbound only; two lanes. This is likely to cause very large increases in traffic on all north to south or south to north Heights streets: Clinton, Henry, and Hicks, although left turns onto Hicks and Clinton from Atlantic Avenue will be banned, and the DOT has planned detours for Queens and Staten Island bound traffic. The detour routes are shown, along with more information here.

This year’s Atlantic Antic will take place on Atlantic Avenue between Hicks Street and Fourth Avenue this coming Sunday, October 1, from noon until 6:00 p.m., rain or shine. Local merchants will be represented, with special deals for the occasion, along with food, music, dancers, visual artists, clothing vendors, and fun sites for kids. There’s a festival map here. It’s sponsored by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation.

Also on Sunday the Brooklyn Book Festival, “the city’s largest free, literary festival,” will have its Festival Day and Literary Marketplace from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on “Borough Hall Plaza, Columbus Park and other nearby locations.” There’s more information through links on the website linked above.

As of now, the weather forecast for Sunday is encouraging: sunny, with a high of 77.

Photo: Chuck Taylor

Like last Saturday, there will be a Giant Game Zone for kids, from noon until 5:00 between Henry and Hicks, and there will be an adults only Cocktail Co-Op on Montague just east of Henry from noon until 6:00. From noon to 4:00 between Henry and Hicks The Service Collective, which maintains the Brooklyn Heights Community Fridge, will let you know how you can help and give you the opportunity to make a magnet to display on the Fridge. Want to get with it on composting? From 1:00 to 4:00 between Henry and Hicks you can learn about the City’s composting program, get a free one gallon container to store your kitchen scraps and, if your building doesn’t already have one, order one of those big brown, wheeled containers from which the Sanitation Department will collect your building’s scraps. From 4:00 to 5:00 the “[y]outh music sensation JAW will present “a set of cover and original rock the likes of which you’ve never heard before.” To top off the day’s festivities, go to the grand opening of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 128 Montague (corner of Henry), at 6:00, where you can “[e]njoy professional performances, dance party, live music and refreshments in their studio.” There’s more information here.

Here is the open letter, printed in full, from 16 organizations rejecting the City’s plan for BQE rehab, including A Better Way (originated by community activists in Brooklyn Heights), Brooklyn Heights Association, the Montague BID, 160 Columbia Heights, and 360 Furman St.

August 14, 2023

Dear Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, Deputy Mayor Joshi, and DOT Commissioner Rodriguez:

Thank you for the opportunities your administration has provided for communities and elected officials to engage in a conversation around the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). Having now seen the full range of DOT’s proposals for the “BQE Central” section, as well as the proposed street-level improvements on the “BQE North & South” sections of the corridor, we want to state unequivocally that the concepts, designs, and indeed the overall car and truck – centric approach to this work do not meet the expectations or needs of the impacted communities nor the warming planet. The concepts we have seen perpetuate many of the existing problems with the BQE, and in some cases would exacerbate unsafe or polluting conditions, for example, the extremely misguided proposals to create additional highway infrastructure on the residential streets of Cobble Hill at Congress Street. Other designs represent an unnecessary expenditure of funding, time, and effort in the service of easing the movement of large trucks on the BQE, such as the needless destruction and reconstruction of the Columbia Heights Bridge, Harry Chapin Playground and parts of Squibb Park. Rather than take the opportunity to rethink mobility to meet our health, climate, and economic development goals, the proposed “BQE Central” highway rebuild will cost billions to merely recreate the highly problematic infrastructure of the past—while taking large parts of Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Promenade out of commission for years. It prioritizes polluting vehicles over residents – dooming all the BQE-adjacent communities to live with this highway directly in their midst for generations to come. In 2020, the New York City Council with Arup Engineering issued a report called The Future of the BQE. The report clearly articulated the harms of the BQE and asked a critical question that remains even more relevant today:

“We live everyday with the costs and risks of this legacy infrastructure through poor air quality, divided communities, traffic violence, visual blight, and noise pollution – costs which depress economic and social opportunities and disproportionately fall on environmental justice communities. And yet, along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) we as a city are proposing to replace this highway infrastructure in kind? In so doing, not only are we out of step with our own goals, we are reimposing the burdens that were ignored when we built the highway system in the first place.”

We understand there is a meaningful opportunity to access infrastructure-related federal funding that should not be squandered. But, instead of spending billions to rebuild the triple cantilever bigger and wider for 100 more years of vehicular traffic and/or creating new highway infrastructure designed to make traveling easier for single-occupancy vehicles and truckers (including all the toll-shoppers) we ask NYC DOT to follow the recommendations laid out in the BQE Expert Panel and the City Council’s reports.

Specifically:

1. Take immediate action to prolong the life of the Triple Cantilever for at least 20 years through waterproofing, repair, and replacement of certain damaged sections, along with any additional critical short-term measures that would mitigate the vibrations from the roadway. Preventing a catastrophic failure must be priority number one. Access the available federal dollars to fund this work.

2. Acknowledge that any long-term BQE planning must be part of a holistic, corridor wide transformation. Today, it is the Triple Cantilever that is crumbling, tomorrow it will be another section of this decrepit highway. The state and city’s failure to commit to the implementation of transformational alternatives in the North and South sections of the corridor perpetuates the racial and economic injustice this highway already represents.

3. Immediately begin implementation of traffic demand management strategies. The BQE Expert Panel report contains a detailed appendix prepared by Sam Schwartz Engineering outlining various strategies, including closing selected BQE on/off ramps such as the QB Atlantic Ave ramp, and the implementation of HOV lanes to reduce traffic demand on the BQE. New Yorkers are literally choking under the fumes of poorly managed traffic in our neighborhoods and are dying from unchecked traffic violence. We wholeheartedly support the efforts already underway to move freight more sustainably throughout the city, such as the Blue Highways Program. The plan for a future BQE and the freight management strategies DOT has already begun investing in must reinforce each other, not contradict each other.

4. Secure available federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act for improvements in public transit. The new infrastructure law is already pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into transportation projects and has created dozens of new USDOT grant programs. Many users of the BQE, especially drivers in single occupancy vehicles, could be encouraged to use public transit instead if it was convenient and efficient.

New York City and New York State must come together to create a new, multi-stakeholder, I278 governing body that has the authority and vision to manage the necessary planning. The tasks of this body should include the creation of design guidelines and standards for the full corridor in coordination with the impacted communities, support for and coordination of the various demand management strategies including the creation of a regional transportation model, and the creation of a corridor-wide phasing plan along with sources of funding.

We urge this administration to be the anti-Robert Moses and help us rewrite history. We must think seriously about sunsetting our 20th century urban highways, as many other cities have already done, instead of doubling down on rebuilding them in place. Immediate but substantive repairs on the cantilever will buy time for NYC DOT to make progress on many other forward-thinking and relevant projects that will enable the fulfillment of a true “once in a generation” approach to the BQE: these include congestion pricing, blue highways, micro mobility last-mile delivery, Gateway, Streets Master Plan, and the proposed pedestrian and bike-prioritization in PlaNYC, and more. In the meantime, the City and State can access federal infrastructure funds for community planning to help flesh out a long-term plan for more equitable and sustainable transportation infrastructure and for investments in a transit-rich future for everyone up and down the BQE corridor, and indeed the entire city.

Sincerely,

A Better Way
America Walks (co-host of the Freeway Fighters Network)
Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District
Brooklyn Heights Association
Cobble Hill Association
DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance
El Puente
Fifth Avenue Committee
Montague Street Business Improvement
District North Heights Neighbors
North Brooklyn Parks
Open Plans
Street Plans
Transportation Alternatives
160 Columbia Heights
360 Furman Street

Read the related reporting on the open letter by Mary Frost in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Atlantic Avenue is designated as a DOT Great Street and Vision Zero Priority Corridor, yet the “priority” appears to be in name only. Despite numerous calls to action, nothing has changed. How many more lives need to be lost before the City addresses the pressing need for immediate and comprehensive safety measures along Atlantic Avenue? No one should risk their lives while navigating our neighborhood streets, and it is clear that Atlantic Avenue is dangerous for all users. Although still under investigation, we do know that speeding was an essential component of this deadly crash. DOT knows how to design safe streets, yet Atlantic Avenue’s design remains lethal for drivers and pedestrians.

What the statement doesn’t note is that the car that caused last Monday’s fatal crash was speeding on Court Street when it collided with a car crossing Court on Atlantic. Perhaps some sort of traffic calming measures are needed on Court as well.

Open Streets Montague tomorrow, Saturday, July 29, which is the last until September 9, has a literary flavor. From noon until 3:00 PM Books Are Magic, 122 Montague (between Henry and Hicks) will host Graphic Fest 2023, featuring many writers and illustrators. From noon until 5:00 PM Brooklyn Poets, 144 Montague, will have a swag sale. Also from noon to five, between Henry and Hicks, the pop-up blooms and the Kids’ Zone will be back.

As always on Saturdays in June and July, from noon until five if you take a child ages 1 through 10 to Mad for Chicken, 80 Montague (betweeen Hicks and Pierrepont Place) and order an entree, the child will get a free serving of three chicken tenders and fries.

There’s more information here.

As reported by Mary Frost in The Eagle Friday and linked in a comment by Mary Kim to her earlier post, the start of repair work to the cantilevered parts of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway beneath Clark Street and beneath Grace Court was postponed for a second time, and is now scheduled to begin Monday, July 31. Delays are likely to delay completion of the project until the fall or possibly, since work must be suspended during the winter, into next spring. Ms. Frost’s story includes a detailed account of the measures that the contractor, Bove Industries, Inc., will take to minimize noise. She notes that during the first three weeks’ work both Queens bound lanes will be closed. During the first week Staten Island bound traffic will be reduced to one lane, but during the following two weeks both Staten Island bound lanes will be open.