John,

Quick update on the emergency shelters in our district. We have added a new page to our Council website detailing the local organizations working on the ground to help newly arrived asylum seekers in our community. We will continue to update this page as we coordinate efforts with the community to help those in need.

If you have questions or want to get involved, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask.

Protected Bike Lanes for 2nd Avenue, 9th Street

Two weeks ago, my constituent, Sarah Schick, was horrifically killed when she was hit by a truck while biking on 9th Street. In response, my office is working with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to make much-needed improvements to this extremely dangerous intersection.

On Friday, 1/20, I was accompanied by DOT officials, a number of local elected officials, and transportation safety advocates for a walkthrough of this corridor. We discussed various issues along the 9th Street bike lane, from signal patterns to the overarching issue of the lack of a protected bike lane at the intersection. We also identified several other issues for DOT, such as:

Signal patterns at the 5th Avenue and 9th Street intersection and the urgent need to add more signage on all four corners.
Unmarked parking spots along the 9th Street bike lane from 4th Avenue to 2nd Avenue.
Signal patterns at the corner of 2nd Avenue and 9th Street
Adding proper signage on the 2nd Avenue and 9th Street intersection for trucks to be more cautious.
Redesigning of 9th Street on 2nd Avenue to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

At this tour, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez publicly committed to a street redesign with community engagement, as well as changes to signal patterns and timing. As of last week, my office has followed up on these commitments with DOT Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Keith Bray and requested written commitments for us to share with constituents. My office will be sharing the written answers once they are available.

DOT has notified our office that a leading pedestrian interval has been implemented at the signal at 9th Street and 2nd Avenue. While this is a great start, there is still a lot of work to be done to make this area safer. Always remember, if you see any other issues related to street safety, please file a complaint through 311 or the DOT webform and email your ticket numbers to [email protected].

Construction on Caton Avenue

Our Kensington neighbors on Caton Avenue and East 5th Street have undergone years of construction, leading to unsafe streets. In the last five years, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Con Edison had been building an electrical pump station to improve flood resilience in the community on this block, but construction has been delayed time and time again. The construction site blocked off the pedestrian walkway and the Ocean Parkway bike lane on Caton Avenue and East 5th Street for years. This led pedestrians to cross large and dangerous intersections, especially on the commute to school. Our office has been meeting with DEP and Con Edison to advocate for transparent information on the status of the project, and we’re happy to report the project is complete! The roadway has been cleared for the first time since 2018, and we are deeply appreciative of the patience and understanding of our many neighbors reaching out to our office on this important and long-term issue.

A picture of Caton Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.

Look at Caton Avenue now!

4th Avenue and 9th Street Overpass

Several of our constituents have reached out to our office regarding the lack of lighting on the 4th Avenue and 9th Street subway station overpass. Our office has followed up with Commissioner Bray regarding adding better lighting, and we will continue to reach out to MTA as well to facilitate collaboration between the two agencies for better lighting under the overpass. We will keep the community updated!

Community Bulletin

The MTA borough-wide bus network redesign is underway, and feedback sessions for our community boards are coming up over the next few weeks. The next one is for Community Board 7 on 1/31 at 6:30 PM. Sign up for the next workshop to learn more!
It’s Tax Season! Returns for tax season this year are due on 4/18, and to help you out, our City offers free tax filing tools to those who make under $72,000. Check out the links provided for more information.
Community Board applications are live! If you’re interested in getting more involved with local government, learn more about what Community Boards do and consider applying using their online application form.
NAICA (Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs, Inc.) is hiring for a variety of bilingual open-positions! RSVP is highly encouraged for their Brooklyn Hiring Event on Thursday, 2/9.
If you’re a NYC-based business – a startup, growth-stage business, or needing a boost after the pandemic – check out the NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund for a trusted and affordable way for you to invest in your business.
The maintenance work on the BQE requiring nighttime single-lane closures in the Staten Island bound direction has now been extended to 2/3, 2/8, 2/10, 2/17, 2/22 and 2/24 from midnight to 5 AM. One lane will be closed in the Staten Island-bound direction from Brooklyn Bridge to Atlantic Avenue.
Want curbside composting but your building hasn't signed up? Join a virtual info session with the Big Reuse on DSNY's Building Compost Volunteer Program and other options to sign up your building for the Curbside Composting Program!

In Solidarity,

Shahana