FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 28, 2013
From the office of City Councilmember Brad Lander
Brooklyn Residents Demand Safety
Improvements
at Ocean Parkway & Church Avenue
Following Pedestrian
Death
The community provided funding one year
ago through
Council Member Lander’s “participatory budgeting” process for a
safety upgrade
at the long-dangerous intersection, but the money has gone
unspent
as New York State DOT has refused to approve the plan
Monday’s death of neighborhood resident
Ngozi Agbim, 73,
shows need for immediate action
BROOKLYN,
NY – With cars whizzing by this morning, Kensington residents, transportation
advocates, and City Council Member Brad Lander called on the New York State
Department of Transportation to sign-off on safety improvements at the dangerous
Church Avenue - Ocean Parkway intersection.
One
year ago, residents voted in Council Member Lander’s “participatory
budgeting” election to allocate $200,000 to safety upgrades at the notorious
intersection – but that money has gone unspent because the New York State
Department of Transportation has not approved a plan from the New York City DOT
that would make it safer to cross.
The
death earlier this week of Ngozi Agbim, 73, who was hit and killed by a semi
truck at the intersection on Monday, has left the neighborhood sad and
angry.
“We
just do not understand how is it that a God fearing and loving mother would die
in such a manner walking back from a church service,” said Eugene Agbimson,
Brother-in-Law of Ngozi Agbim. “This is very difficult, but it is also very
rewarding. It allows me to reflect on her life, her dedication to the service of
God and her lifelong committed to the less privilege. Her death like her life
is now a beacon – a rallying point for change.” (Read
his full remarks here).
“We
have been working to fix that intersection—which we all know is dangerous—for
years,” said Council Member Lander. “The community felt so strongly that
this was voted a top priority in last year’s budget. We are heartbroken about
Monday’s tragedy, which took the life of our neighbor, Ngozi Agbim. We must act
now to do all we can to prevent future tragedies. We are calling on New York
State DOT to approve our plan.”
“It
has saddened me that someone died in this tragic accident,” said nearby
resident Arlette F. Mathis. “My family and I cross that intersection daily.
We fear crossing, because even with the signage, drivers speed onto the Prospect
Expressway and seldom yield to pedestrians. Something like this should never
happen again.”
The
holdup isn’t money – residents had the chance last year to vote on funding for
local projects and seized it – prioritizing $200,000 to improve safety at
dangerous Church and Ocean. Council Member Lander brought the innovative
program, called “participatory budgeting,” to New York in 2011. It has since
spread to 10 City Council districts around the city.
“We
voted for this money,” said life-long Kensington resident Julie Bero. “We
should be able to cross this intersection safely and New York State Department
of Transportation should make it a priority.”
With
the funding available, New York City DOT proposed building a pedestrian refuge
island between northbound and southbound traffic at the intersection, to give
pedestrians a safe space when crossing the nine-lane street. New York State DOT
rejected the proposal, and instead proposed eliminating the crosswalk entirely,
even though it is an important connection between bus lines, schools, and
neighborhoods. Without the crosswalk, residents would have to walk a block out
of their way and wait for three crossing signals instead of one. Cars would
speed by even faster. And many pedestrians would certainly still cross there
anyway, far more exposed to speed, danger, and future tragedies.
“New
York State DOT’s proposal is unacceptable,” said Council Member Lander. “It
would make this intersection even more dangerous. Our neighborhood is not a
highway.”
Residents
are joining Lander to gather petition signatures and press for a safety
solution. The petition, which was launched today, can also be signed here: http://bit.ly/Church-Ocean.
“Ten
years ago a Manhattan woman was electrocuted while walking down an East Village
street,” said Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives. “The
relevant agencies sprang into action, fixing power infrastructure to prevent
needless loss of life. The state has known for years that this intersection
is just as deadly to pedestrians as a manhole cover charged with stray voltage,
but yet they have done nothing.”
The
intersection has long been a subject of concern. There were 36 pedestrian and
cyclist injuries and four fatalities there between 1995 and 2008, according to
Transportation Alternatives’ CrashStat.
In
March of this year, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign released a report,
finding that pedestrian injuries and deaths are far too common on Ocean Parkway
in general. “From 2008-2011, six pedestrians were killed along Ocean Parkway,
making it the most deadly road for pedestrians in Brooklyn,” said Ryan Lynch,
associate director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “The New York
State Department of Transportation must work with local residents to immediately
implement measures that improve the walking environment."
“This
is not about pointing fingers or assigning blame,” Lander concluded. “The NYPD
is conducting an investigation to determine what happened. We appreciate the
increased attention of the NYPD Crash Investigation Squad to deadly crashes. But
we’ve long known this intersection is dangerous. After a tragedy like this, we
must come together. In the memory of Ngozi Agbim, we must work together to make
this intersection safe for pedestrians and drivers alike,” Lander
concluded.
