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Preliminary Kingston Avenue Reconstruction Plans Unveiled

CB9 Chairperson Jacob Goldstein (L) with Mr. Serge Francisque the Engineer and Architect from the DDC.

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — At Tuesday night’s Community Board meeting representatives from the city’s Department of Design and Construction unveiled a preliminary plan for the reconstruction of Kingston Avenue, a project which includes a complete and total revamp of the entire infrastructure including sidewalks, streets, sewers and gas lines. The purpose of the meeting was so that residents can give their input on the plans, and give their own recommendations.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

The plan included a number of disturbing ideas, the most troubling of all was the idea to convert Kingston into a one lane street and add bike lane along with a buffer, nearly all in attendance rebuked the idea while others said that alternative transportation need to be kept in mind, eliciting muffled laughs from some of the crowd.

One of the people at the meeting suggested that the city add park benches along the avenue, to which someone responded that maybe we can put the benches in the bicycle lanes. Another proposal which met significant opposition was the removal of parking meters in favor of ‘Muni-Meters’, the primary reason was the general complain heard around the city that sometimes by the time drivers get the ticket they already get parking summonses.

On a more positive note more than 20 more trees will be planted and bike racks will be added, and an idea was proposed for use of nicer materials to use for the sidewalk such as cobblestone or a light color concrete, rather than the standard concrete mix. Plans to remove the old trolley tracks that have become exposed have been introduced as well as adding more storm drains and new less slippery pedestrian ramps on the sidewalk corners.

Residents that did not attend the meeting and still want to give input are welcome to visit the Community Board 9’s website and contact them.

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22 Comments

  • What?

    If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! I thought we were in a reccession?! Maybe we should bring back the troly cars!

  • GJ

    It doesn’t look like many people were there, but kudos to Mr. Serge Francisque for trying to involve the community!!

  • wondering

    What about diagonal parking to prevent all the double-parking?
    It works out of the city and in other cities…

  • david

    what’s wrong with bike lanes? if all CH had bike lanes and bike storage, I would ride to the stores. why not?!

  • me

    always the same five pepole at the meting what a shame then again talking to the cops is like talking to the wall

  • abe

    Yes I can see it now..

    BUBBIE’S BRASSERIE

    TIKVA’S TRATTORIA

    THE FARSHTOPT GRILL

    THE BORSHT BISTRO

    to name a few

  • b f.

    the city should keep their money and let us keep ours by getting rid of the meters on the ave.

  • abc

    “david wrote:

    what’s wrong with bike lanes? if all CH had bike lanes and bike storage, I would ride to the stores. why not?!”

    you going to buy [just] a super snack?

    Are they going to do this all at once or block by block?

  • Uninformed

    Bs”d
    How come I always find out about these meetings AFTER they happened?

    They want residents to attend, but how are we supposed to know about these meetings????????????????

  • David

    abc wrote:

    you going to buy [just] a super snack?

    Are they going to do this all at once or block by block?
    ==

    No I’m actually married, and not a slob like you who doesn’t appreciate the need to exercise.

  • s. c.

    to uninformed: you can call the community board #9 office & ask to be placed on their mailing list.

    also how can there be room for a bike lane? will they eliminate all parking. this is not such a wide street & this is also a bus route. of all the bike lanes in Crown Heights I never see anyone using them. I only see bikers on other streets & on the sidewalks.

  • MOST IMPORTANT

    FIRST THING FIRST, IS TO GET THEM TO STOP CLEANING OUR STREETS TWICE A WEEK, MOST OF NYC CLEANS THEIR STREETS ONCE A WEEK FOR 1 HOUR MAX, WHY IS IT THAT WE NEED TO GET THE MOST TICKETS BY CLEANING THE STREETS TWICE A WEEK FOR 1 HOUR AND A HALF.

    AND ON EASTERN PARKWAY ITS 3 TIMES A WEEK, AND ON SHABBOS, WHEN ITS YOM TOV THEY SHUT DOWN THE CLEANING FOR THE ENTIRE NYC, BUT FOR CROWN HEIGHTS THEY CLEAN AND GIVE TOCKETS EVERY SHABBOS ON EASTERN PARKWAY, WHY? WHY 3 TIMES A WEEK? ARE THE PEOPLE IN THE SERVICE ROAD THAT DIRTY????

  • Kingston on the map

    perhaps this is an investment to attract visitors to the neighborhood, something of a tourist industry project. like the purpose of the museum. this puts crown heights on the map. I think crown heights could use more of the many tourists and visitors who stream to eastern parkway and kingston. because it takes away that secluded, ghetto aspect of the neighborhood.

  • infuriated

    Why aren’t the store owners protesting about bike lanes? They’ll have the same aggravation as in Williamsburg. There isn’t enough parking in CH t begin with, the streets don’t need to be cleaned 4x a week (2x each side) & bikes should be banned altogether. They’re ridden by unhelmeted idiots who go the wrong way, speed, & don’t obey traffic laws eg red lights.

    Let them ride their bikes in the park. And forget the trees too, we’re not birds or aquirrels, just lower our taxes.

  • Green Trees

    I actually like the idea of adding trees, I think it adds so much to the alredy black, gray and white color sceme of most of brooklyn streets. In a city so devoid of greenery I would expect more support for the little that the city is already willing to do!

  • GOLUS

    B”H
    WOW! GENTRIFICATION!
    Now we’re not different anymore!
    How do you like that?
    Now, the non-Jews will feel at home here!
    It’s a dream come true!
    But where will WE feel at home?????