Advocates frustrated as McGuinness Boulevard redesign proposal goes back to the drawing board
NEW YORK -- Cars and trucks zoom through McGuinness Boulevard from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the Long Island Expressway in an endless flow.
"It's a highway masquerading as a road. And so, every single day, there's tons and tons of cars and trucks using this just to cut through. Not coming to Greenpoint, not doing business in Greenpoint, not serving the people of Greenpoint," said Alexa Sledge, associate director of communications at Transportation Alternatives.
A coalition called Make McGuinness Safe has been pushing for plans to redesign the deadly roadway, and a proposal was announced by the NYC Department of Transportation in May. It included plans to reduce the four lane road to two, keep the parking, but add a protected bike lane.
"It discourages the passing lane culture that are highway and bike. So we know that cars would drive more slowly. We know that shortcut traffic would not be directed through our neighborhood to shave 90 seconds off their commute time, so fewer cars and trucks would be coming through the neighborhood," said Bronwyn Breitner, the founder of Make McGuinness Safe.
Though the mayor originally supported the plan, a recent report revealed that he changed course last week, asking the DOT to go back to the drawing board.
"This is a gut punch, because this is the mayor's plan. This is the community plan, but it is also the mayor's plan...There was two years of public process, two years," Kevin LaCherra, coordinator at Make McGuinness Safe, said.
Adams addressed the reversal this week, saying the plan was controversial for many.
"I'm going to respect the voices of the people who live in this community and we will find a way, you know? Its unfortunate that we are in a position now that everyone feels as though you must lose so I can win," he said.
Vision Zero data shows there have been at least a dozen injuries on this roadway so far this year, and six fatal crashes since 2009. The most recent was Matthew Jensen, a public school teacher killed in a hit-and-run in 2021.
Opponents of the redesign include a counter coalition called Keep McGuinness Moving, led by a local film production company called Broadway Stages. The owners are political donors to the mayor. A spokesperson for both the coalition and Broadway Stages said they were concerned the plan will be a disaster for traffic.
"We don't know where it's going to end up, we're hoping is going to end up with some compromise, where everybody's a little bit unhappy, and everybody's a little happy," said Juda Engelmayer.
Both sides agree something's got to change here.
The work was supposed to start this summer, but a spokesperson for the DOT says they're still reviewing community feedback.
Traffic safety advocates are planning to rally outside City Hall on Thursday.
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