Community Board 5 (CB 5) is once again pushing for the reconstruction of the Metropolitan Avenue Bridge and the often faulty sewer system, issues that have plagued the communities for years.
During CB 5’s Oct. 14 public meeting, the board released the list of capital budget priorities for fiscal year 2017, and there have been some changes in the top 10 requested projects from last year.
The project that made the biggest jump in the top 10 from fiscal year 2016 was the need to repower polluting stage zero freight engines hauling New York City municipal waste through District 5, Queens. This project was listed as the 13th highest priority last year, and is now ninth on the list.
The top three priorities remained the same from fiscal year 2016. The project to redesign and reconstruct the sewer system in portions of the CB 5 area which have the worst flooding problems reclaimed the top spot.
The need to reconstruct the Metropolitan Avenue Bridge over the Long Island Rail Road Montauk line at Fresh Pond Road and the project to provide new catch basins and reconstruct the deteriorating catch basins within the CB 5 area remained as the second and third highest priorities, respectively.
The top 10 fiscal year 2017 priorities are as follows:
- Redesign and reconstruct sewer systems in portions of the CB 5 area with the worst flooding;
- Reconstruct the Metropolitan Avenue Bridge over the Long Island Rail Road Montauk line at Fresh Pond Road;
- Provide new catch basins and reconstruct the deteriorating catch basins within the CB 5 area;
- Construct new school space, where needed, in the CB 5 area, including a new high school at 78-16 Cooper Ave.;
- Make capital improvements to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety on Grand Avenue at 69th Street, at Grand Avenue/LIE east-bound service road and at the 69th Street/LIE service road intersections;
- Evaluate the structural condition of the elevated “M” train line in the CB 5 area, perform repairs and paint the structure;
- Rehabilitate the Glendale Branch Library;
- Rehabilitate Ridgewood Reservoir — Phase II and the surrounding area, including portions of Highland Park;
- Repower polluting stage zero freight engines hauling NYC municipal waste through District 5, Queens; and
- Provide replacement of the synthetic turf ballfield and the running track at the west end of Juniper Valley Park.
“The executive committee recommends that the capital budget, as published based on the surveys, will be that of the community board,” said Vincent Arcuri, chair of CB 5.
The final capital budget priorities will be sent to the Department of City Planning.
