GOVERNOR CUOMO, HERE'S OUR OCEAN PARKWAY SAFETY PETITION

We aren't asking for much. Just an improvement in road conditions so that when we cross Ocean Parkway at Church Avenue, we won't get maimed--or run over and killed, like Ngozi Agbim did in June when she was crossing there.

We, the people of City Council District 39, voted during the participatory budgeting process in March 2012 to spend $200,000 of Councilmember Brad Lander's budget on eliminating pedestrian hazards at this intersection. To date, while other projects voted for have been completed or are at least underway, nothing has been accomplished at the intersection. The danger remains unabated.

The June 2013 update on Councilmember Brad Lander's website reports that "NYSDOT [New York State Department of Transportation] declined to approve the safety upgrade proposed by NYCDOT [New York City Department of Transportation]." He asks people to "Please sign the petition to NYSDOT, calling on the agency to respect our community's vote and move forward with this project."

Now NYSDOT has stated in a letter written on August 13th that it's been "working closely with NYC DOT to study this intersection and to review potential changes that can enhance safety for pedestrians and still ensure safety for all other modes of travel," including a pedestrian refuge area.

Councilmember Lander will bring the "Our Neighborhood Is Not a Highway" petition with 831 signatures to Governor Cuomo’s office today (Thursday, August 22nd) at 11:00 am. If you can, join him in Manhattan outside the Governor’s office at 633 3rd Avenue, near 41st Street.