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Dear John,

Quick holiday schedule update! We’ll be publishing our newsletter late next week so look out for our end-of-year wrap-up coming to you on Monday, December 26th. Our office will then be closed all the following week, so we’ll pick back up with our Sunday newsletter on January 9th, 2023. If you need anything in the meantime, you can always call us at 718-499-1090 or email us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
* Given the increase in COVID-19 ([link removed]) , Flu, and RSV cases, our City is recommending masking in indoor settings! If you don’t have access to a high-quality KN95 mask, you can drop by our district office to pick one up.
* Changes are coming to the BQE! Read more about what was made public ([link removed]) in this week’s newsletter.

Fixing The BQE
This week, my team and I, alongside several other elected officials from various levels of government, were briefed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) on their plans to replace the “triple cantilever” section of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE). While most of the BQE is owned and operated by the state, a significant section, that ends right at our district’s border at Atlantic Avenue, is owned and operated by the City DOT. At 80 years old, this section of the highway desperately needs repairs or faces collapse in the near future. This section sees over 155,000 cars every single day, including 18,00 trucks, and the City already undertook emergency ([link removed]) repairs in 2018 to avoid an imminent catastrophe. Time is running out to take action, but this situation presents our community with a unique opportunity.

Residents and drivers agree that the triple cantilever is a less-than-ideal highway setup. For drivers, the roads are narrow, congested, and in desperate need of fixing. For nearby residents, the highway is more than just an eye-sore; it's a dividing line. This Robert Moses highway cuts through neighborhoods, separating open spaces from community members with multiple lanes of high-speed traffic. The noise, pollution, and literally shaking have been a constant concern for community members, and with the cantilever’s expiration date fast approaching, it’s a chance for our City to be forward-thinking with urban design. This highway was designed to encourage car usage, but we have an opportunity to rethink transportation in Brooklyn and prioritize this space to do more than just move people, but bring them closer together.

With billions of dollars from the City, state, and federal government (thanks to the infrastructure legislation passed last year), DOT has gotten to work on three design proposals ([link removed]) developed through multiple sessions of community feedback. I want to highlight some notable elements of the proposals because DOT got a lot right, but not as much as we want.

On the positive side, each of the three designs converts highway space into open space for community use on some level. Each of the designs makes efforts to connect previously disconnected space and neighborhood, and each of the designs employs innovative usage of space beyond simply replacing the cantilever. All that being said, I’m not satisfied.

DOT has communicated they are strongly considering maintaining three lanes in the redesign, in part due to anticipated analysis from the Federal Highway Administration. However, this is forfeiting a unique opportunity to rebuild this section of the highway to discourage vehicle usage. Reducing our dependence on cars is essential to combating the climate crisis, and I am disappointed DOT did not incorporate this principle in the public proposals. In addition, while the design proposals employ some innovative design principles, some of the more popular ideas (such as putting this section of the highway underground) were abandoned. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink the main transportation artery of the City, and I’m concerned we're not thinking big enough.
Which one is your favorite?
This project is still in the design phase, and there are several public workshops coming up where our community can make their voices heard! Check out the schedule here ([link removed]) and if you have thoughts - reply to this email and let us know. My team and I are in constant communication with DOT about this work and take your comments and concerns with us at every meeting.

Community Bulletin
* We’ll be switching newsletter services next month! It’s a good idea to check your spam folder in January if you don’t get a newsletter on 1/9.
* Quick update on the construction at 120 5th Avenue (former key foods site). Pile driving is complete, but some ongoing foundation installation work will continue with reduced noise at the work site. We have also received a number of inquiries around trucks idling around the site. While the trucks carting excavated material are permitted to park on 5th Avenue in front of the site, we have instructed drivers to park only where permitted; not to park in bus stops or crosswalks; not to block deliveries to local businesses, and to follow all applicable City regulations regarding idling. Please let us know if you have further questions!
* Club ill ([link removed]) , a Brooklyn-based apparel company for people with chronic illnesses, is hosting a "chronic illness storytelling series" where storytellers will share their experiences living with chronic illness. It's like the Moth- but for chronic illness. Their events are free and open to the public!
* DEP is kicking off its 37th annual Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest ([link removed]) on 1/10. 2nd through 12th-grade students in NYC are invited to create original art and compose poetry that reflects an appreciation for our shared water resources. Entries will be accepted online through 3/3. To learn more, Water Resources Art & Poetry Contest ([link removed]) .
* Join the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) for five days of live music, dance, spoken-word presentations, art-making, food, and more at their 15th annual Kwanzaa celebration in partnership with Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation ([link removed]) on 12/26 through 12/30.
* The 2023 Community Board Application Season is now open! The application ([link removed]) is available on the Borough President’s website, where it may be completed using the online portal.
* The Animal Care Center urgently needs adopters, fosters, & volunteers. Abandoned pets are at an all-time high, and the shelter is over capacity! Consider helping some of our most vulnerable furry friends on the Emergency Placement List ([link removed]) .
* Teachers, Educators, and Caregivers – check out these free DEP educational resources and opportunities.
+ Understanding NYC’s Water Story: A Curriculum Guide for the Classroom: an exciting curriculum guide for K-8 classrooms that helps teachers and students explore NYC’s water story, from drinking water and wastewater to stormwater and harbor water. The curriculum guide is also aligned with the New York State Science Learning Standards and Amplify Curriculum. To learn more, click Curriculum Guide for K-8 Teachers ([link removed]) . 
+ Jamaica Bay Education Resource Directory: Explore resources and program opportunities in and around the Jamaica Bay watershed, one of the City’s most unique, ecologically rich, natural areas. Download Jamaica Bay Education Resource Directory ([link removed]) .
+ Watershed Forestry Bus Tour Program: Apply now for in-person field trip funding to the NYC Watershed for spring 2023 through the Watershed Agricultural Council’s Watershed Forestry Bus Tour Program. You can plant trees, release trout, and learn at environmental education centers. All trips include a guided tour of a drinking water reservoir. Check out the website ([link removed]) to download the current application today. Applications are due Friday, 1/6, by 5 PM.
* Speaking of the BQE, repair work at the Central section will lead to lane closures over three weekends between March and October next year. More information on the repairs and closures can be found here. ([link removed])

Happy First Night of Hanukkah!,
Shahana

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New York City Council District 39
456 5th Ave Ste 3
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718-499-1090

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