Nov. 10, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
Residents of Court Square will have the opportunity to voice concerns over transportation issues in the area next week.
The Court Square Civic Association is holding a meeting focusing on transportation problems and initiatives in the neighborhood next Thursday, bringing in several representatives from City departments to help answer questions and brainstorm solutions.
The meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. November 17 at MoMA PS1, will focus on several main issues.
It will begin by addressing the fact that the Court Square neighborhood is the biggest transportation hub in the area, with the 7, G, E and M trains all running through the Court Square Station, as well as the E, M and R trains at Queens Plaza and the N and W trains at Queensboro Plaza.
“We wanted to focus on the future of transportation in Court Square,” said CSCA founder Amadeo Plaza. “People have expressed concerns about what it will look like in the future once the area is all built up, once the L train goes down for 18 months, and neighborhoods in the surrounding areas explode in popularity as well which are growing in prominence, then what does that mean for the largest transport hub in the area?”
The group will also spend time on the proposed routes for the Brooklyn Queens Connector streetcar and the added Citywide Ferry dock in Hunters Point. Representatives from the Economic Development Corporation will be on hand to speak on the BQX proposal and the new ferry dock.
Plaza said that people are desperate to know what the BQX routes will be and how the proposal would reshape the neighborhood and affect their homes.
He added that in examining the proposals himself, the route that seemed to make the most sense was going down 21st Street, as it was wide enough and far enough away from the N/W line to make sense.
The final area the meeting will focus on is the street redesign in Hunters Point, which is being undertaken by the Department of Transportation.
“The streets were designed for industrial use, but that’s not what the neighborhood is anymore,” Plaza said. “We want to make sure this redesign makes sense for the community.”
Plaza added that the primary point person for the redesign, Samantha Dolgoff from the DOT, would be on hand to discuss any questions or issues regarding the project.
Many of the discussions at the meeting will build on the first CSCA meeting held early last month, though it focused on development throughout the area.
At the meeting, Van Bramer noted that a new subway system was out of the question, but said that the added ferry service and Citibike installation could help relieve some pressure on the system in a small way. He added that a select bus service might make sense.
Plaza noted that the ferry docks are still about a mile from most Court Square residents, and said he plans to ask if a shuttle bus service to the ferry could help encourage use.
Penny Lee from the Department of City Planning will also be on hand to address more general questions and help add perspective, Plaza said.
The meeting will be in a town hall format, with lots of questions and answers and discussion, Plaza said, though he asked that all questions be submitted ahead of time to hello@courtsquarecivic.org so he can ensure fully researched answers.
