Gwynne Hogan nails the lede:
“A developer who tried to turn a Superfund site into a super fun one…”
The article is scary, though – the owners of the NuHart Plastics superfund property have caused multiple toxic contaminant spills, including two that spilled onto the sidewalk.
In more alternative transportation news (also sure to give car owners agita), the city is out with a study on potential routes for the BQX streetcar. One of the more interesting things here is how the trollies will get across Newtown Creek. One option is a new bridge from Manhattan Avenue to Vernon Boulevard, recreating the bridge that existed there for decades. Streetcar or no, this is a good idea. Not sure I get the north/south passage through Williamsburg, though – if the goal is to serve “transit deserts” and make connections to ferries and the waterfront, why are we looking at Berry? And Wythe Avenue is only “medium traffic volume”? Place is a parking lot from afternoons well into the night, and most weekends.
But the biggest thing I’m not seeing here is a comprehensive transportation plan. So far, they are looking at how to fit the BQX in, but how does it all go together?
As part of the plan to remediate the shutdown of the L train, Transportation Alternatives floats a plan to make Grand Street car free from the Williamsburg Bridge east to the intersection of Grand and Metropolitan (pretty much the Kings/Queens line). This would allow buses and cyclists freer travel along Grand, but surely would be greeted with howls from all of the merchants along Grand between Rodney Street and Bushwick Avenue. Still – “complete street redesign” would be a welcome thing in many places.
