|
NEWS By Albert Amateau City Councilmember Alan Gerson this week introduced what he called “Park Row” legislation that would establish review procedures and make it more difficult throughout the city to close streets for 45 days or more. The proposed legislation is in response to the police closing Park Row between City Hall and Worth St. since Sept. 11, 2001, a measure that residents of Chinatown and nearby neighborhoods say has cut them off from emergency services, choked their streets with traffic and filled the neighborhood with noise and noxious exhaust fumes. “This problem has existed for far too long here. The city has callously refused to mitigate the effect of the street closing” said Gerson at a Mon. June 9 news conference on the steps of City Hall attended by Councilmember John Liu of Queens, head of the Council transportation committee, and by residents of Chatham Green, Chatham Towers, Southbridge Towers and the Alfred E. Smith Houses. Gerson and Liu have scheduled a hearing on the legislation for Friday, June 13. “It was the earliest date possible,” said Gerson, “We hope it’s step toward changing an unlucky situation.” “No one argues the need to allow police unhindered access to headquarters, but the community also has needs,” Gerson said. “There has been no answer from the city about those needs and we want a full debate on the issue.” More than 18 months ago, police closed the street behind Police Plaza in what they deemed to be an emergency measure for the security of police headquarters. But Danny Chen, a board member of the Chatham Green apartment complex, said at the City Hall news conference that the closing is mainly to accommodate parking by police of their private cars. “We’re seeking a rebalance of power,” said Chen, who is also a member of the Civic Center Residents Coalition. “There are no checks and balances on police powers on street closing,” said Sanford Goldstein, a resident of Chatham Towers. Chen said about 1,200 people live in Chatham Green. About 500 live in Chatham Towers. The proposed legislation would require the Department of Transportation commissioner to give the reason for any street closing and an estimated re-opening date to the appropriate community board and city councilmember within 48 hours of the closing. If the closing is for more than 45 days, the commissioner would give the appropriate board and councilmember 30 days notice, stating the reasons for the proposed closure and the estimated re-opening date. For the long closing, councilmembers or community boards could ask for a reassessment of the action. Within 60 days of receiving a reassessment request, the D.O.T. commissioner would be required to issue a report with reasons why the closure is necessary with a list of alternatives and their costs. The report would also include a community impact finding on the effect of the closing on businesses, traffic flow and the environment. The report would have to outline traffic mitigation measures and address possible compensation to residents and business people. A spokesperson for Mayor Bloomberg said later on June 9, that the administration has not had a chance yet to analyze the legislation. “It’s an issue of concern with the mayor and he has spoken to the police commissioner about it – that’s all I can say about it now,” said the spokesperson in reference to the Park Row closing. Earlier this spring, a Park Row task force of police and elected officials was established, but no further meetings were held, according to Joe DeRupo, a Gerson aide. The city’s lack of response prompted residents of Chatham Green and Towers to file suit against the city challenging the street closure. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Borough President Virginia Fields and Gerson joined the residents in the suit. State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub ordered the city and the plaintiffs to try to resolve their differences. After two meetings last month, there was no resolution. “The city essentially said they would listen to us and advise us of what they intended to do, which of course was unacceptable,” said Jack Lester, the lawyer representing the residents. Justice Tolub will hear the case on June 27. At one of the meetings last month, police said that emergency vehicles would be allowed through the checkpoints on Park Row, Chen said. Later, the department amended the promise, saying that Fire Department ambulances would be passed through the checkpoints, he said. “Most people who go to hospitals call a black car, and there are proprietary ambulances that don’t get by the checkpoints,” Chen added. “The problem is inconsistencies at the checkpoints,” said Gerson. Susan Stetzer of Community Board 3 said: “We’ve been powerless. We weren’t even allowed to send a representative to the task force,” said Stetzer. John Ost, a board member of Southbridge Towers, said the Park Row closing has had a dire effect on residents of the 1,200-unit complex just south of the Brooklyn Bridge. “It means residents can’t get to Chinatown very well. Buses now all use Pearl St. and traffic on Pearl and Frankfort Sts is backed up to Fulton St. sometimes. Ambulances coming out of Downtown Hospital on Gold St. get stuck in traffic and naturally they lean on their sirens. There is a constant wailing and the exhaust from cars is awful.” |
|
||||||||||||||
|
Downtown Express is published by |
WEBMASTER: |
