Brooklyn Heights Blog

Plans are underway for the rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, and much progress has been made since the public scoping meetings back in June. At last night’s Technical Advisory Committee meeting, project manager Peter King discussed some of the proposals for what could happen along the BQE. Read more »

Construction workers have taken to Henry Street to install “neckdowns” as part of a “traffic calming” project to make the street more pedestrian-friendly. Read more »

Photo by M. Hermann/BHB

It took some wriggling, courtesy of the Fire Department, to assist this straphanger who took an express route down the stairs at the Borough Hall station, and ended up with his foot caught between the bottom step and the railing’s vertical support.  It happened just after 6:30 tonight on the stairs below the Municipal Building.  Engine Co. 224 and Ladder Co. 110 responded with hydraulic tools—just in case—but were able to free him without much effort.  He didn’t make his train, however, and instead found himself in the back of an ambulance, en route to Long Island College Hospital for observation.

Just received word that starting September 14, alternate-side parking regulations will go back into effect in the Brooklyn Heights area, following a nine-week suspension as new signs were installed.

The suspension affected the Brooklyn Heights area north of Joralemon Street while the Department of Transportation installed more than 2,000 new, reduced street sweeping regulation signs.

Starting September 8, however, the small area south of Joralemon Street and north of Atlantic Avenue (but not including those two streets) will have alternate-side regulations suspended for their own six to eight week replacement period. Read more »

Photo by M. Hermann/BHB

Mayor Bloomberg put pen to paper yesterday, signing Intro 871-A, a bill authorizing tenants in office buildings with freight elevators to bring their bicycles inside.  Brooklyn Heights City Councilman David Yassky introduced the legislation after his wife was prohibited from bringing her wheels into her office building several years ago.  Under the new law, these buildings must show a bicycle access plan to the DOT, unless they can demonstrate that their freight elevators are unsafe for routine traffic, or if there is adequate free off-street parking within three blocks.  

A temporary bicycle commuting task force would also be created, which will report to the Mayor and City Council next year about efforts to establish enclosed bike parking in public/private locations.

As we noted in a previous post, a new ferry stop near the foot of Atlantic Avenue is one of the locations from which expanded ferry service to and from Brooklyn will be considered at a hearing to be held at Kings County Community College tomorrow evening. Tomorrow morning, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will announce the construction of a “water taxi dock” at Pier 6, now being developed as part of Brooklyn Bridge Park and situated near Atlantic Avenue. According to the press release, “[T]he creation of the new dock will provide direct ferry service between Brooklyn Bridge Park and Governors Island.” Whether this will replace the free Saturday-only ferry from Fulton Landing, and whether it will be free, or run on a more frequent schedule, remains to be seen. Also, that the terminal is being called a “water taxi dock” raises the question whether New York Water Taxi, with its extensive service to Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Upstate, will stop there. We’ll keep you advised as more information becomes available.

Next Saturday, July 25, the Long Island Rail Road will celebrate its 175th anniversary with a one day excursion that will depart from LIRR’s Atlantic Avenue station at 8:12 A.M. and return at 8:42 P.M. The special train will travel the entire length of the main line to Greenport, on the North Fork, with stopovers there and at Riverhead to enjoy local attractions. According to the LIRR’s press release:

Rail and history buffs will certainly enjoy this LIRR Getaway as will the casual rail rider. The “175th Anniversary Train” will travel along the Main Line of the LIRR from the urban and suburban areas of Queens and Nassau Counties to the rural, farming areas of Eastern Suffolk County’s North Fork. Knowledgeable docents from the Long Island Sunrise Trail Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society will be onboard the train to answer history-related questions. Read more »

The New York Times has produced an informative and picturesque video, narrated by Corey Kilgannon, about Governors Island, now accessable by ferry from Fulton Landing. You can read about Homer and Mrs. Fink’s visit to the Island here.

Commuting by water can be a pleasant, and, for many, convenient way to start or end the workday. Consider also the prospect of getting to or from LaGuardia or JFK by ferry (both would require a shuttle bus or van to get from ferry landing to terminal), or to Citi Field or Yankee Stadium, or to Coney Island to see our own Cyclones.

The City’s Economic Development Corporation and Department of Transportation are jointly conducting a study to determine what new ferry routes should be established. In connection with this, they are holding a town hall meeting at Kingsborough Community College, Room U 219/200, 2001 Oriental Boulevard, starting at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, July 22, to which Brooklyn residents are invited to present their ideas about new routes on which they would like to see service. Read more »

Starting Monday, the Department of Transportation will begin a six to eight week suspension of alternate-side parking regulations in Brooklyn Heights, north of Joralemon Street. The suspension will also include Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill and Fulton Ferry.

The suspension comes as the DOT installs more than 2,000 new signs that will have new, reduced street sweeping regulations. Map of the affected area after the jump. Read more »