ATTENTION: Public Workshop- Fowler Square; 2/16; 6PM

Council Member Letitia James, the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Fulton Area Business Alliance (FAB) invite the community to a workshop to design the future plaza at Fowler Square.

WHEN: Thursday, February 16, 2012
6PM- 8PM
WHERE: Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (Jarvey Room)
85 South Oxford Street (between Fulton Street and Lafayette Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Those interested should contact DOT at (212) 839-4325.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking regulations today, Monday, January 23, 2012 for Asian Lunar New Year.

All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.

ATTENTION: FGA Hosts Spotlight on Public Safety; 11/21; 7PM

The Fort Greene Association is hosting Shining a Spotlight on Public Safety--

WHEN: Monday, November 21, 7PM
WHERE: Brooklyn Music School
126 Saint Felix Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Confirmed Guest Speakers include:
Council Member Letitia James
Arif Ullah, Director of Neighborhood Resources, Citizens Committee for New York City
Department of Transportation
Deputy Inspector Anthony Tasso, 88th Precinct
Jay Ruiz, Brooklyn BIKE Patrol

Attendees will receive tips on how to create or strengthen local block and tenant associations, as well as learn about the available grant programs and workshops. Tips will be given on personal safety, property safeguarding, self-defense and late night home escort options. Attendees will also have an opportunity to address street lighting concerns.

Contact FGA at 718-875-1855 for more information.

CM James On MTA's Proposal To Remove Trash Bins from Subway

Over at the Prospect Heights Patch, Council Member Letitia James has posted a short piece on the MTA's proposal to remove trash receptacles from subway stations.

Patch: http://prospectheights.patch.com/blog_posts/removing-trash-bins-from-mta-subway-stations-a-bad-idea

CM James Statement On MTA Initiative To Remove Trash Bins from Subways

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** October 24, 2011

Contact: Amyre Loomis at (718) 260-9191

STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES, CHAIR OF SANITATION COMMITTEE, ABOUT METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY INITIATIVE TO REMOVE TRASH BINS FROM SUBWAY STATIONS

(Brooklyn, NY)- “The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced a plan on Monday to study the impact of removing trash bins from City subway stations. The first phase of the plan began two weeks ago when bins were removed from two subway stations.

Although I understand that it is logistically difficult to remove 40 tons of waste each day from City Subway stations, I believe this initiative is misguided and will only lead to more litter and vector in an already dirty transit system. Managing this increased litter on subway platforms will go against the stated goal of this plan to reduce the burden on the MTA’s trash removal efforts.

It is not clear to me how removing bins will lead to less trash because riders will continue to eat, read newspapers and otherwise go about their normal routines, only now they would have nowhere to properly deposit the material. I for one, am doubtful that riders will consistently carry their trash out with them.

I commend the MTA for adding additional trains to remove waste from subway platforms in a more timely fashion, and believe that is an appropriate way to address the ‘unsightliness and malodor’ in the subway system. I believe we can build on this positive step and urge the MTA to work with the City to make the subway system a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.”

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ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking regulations Citywide for Wednesday, October 26 2011 in observance of Diwali. They will also be suspended the following Tuesday, November 1, 2011 for All Saints Day.

Parking meter regulations remain in effect throughout the City on both days.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking regulations Citywide for Thursday, October 13, 2011 and Friday, October 14, 2011 for Succoth.

Parking meter regulations remain in effect throughout the City.

ATTENTION: Citizen's Cmte 2012 Love Your Block Application Available

Citizens Committee is now accepting applications for their Love Your Block grant program. Love Your Block is a special partnership between Citizens Committee and the City of New York that provides a unique opportunity for city residents to transform and beautify their neighborhoods.

Love Your Block offers resident-led volunteer groups a cash grant of $500-$1,000, as well as community-building assistance, to transform a city block. The City of New York matches the grant by providing services from the Departments of Parks and Recreation, Transportation, and Sanitation to help improve the block; such as trash collection, vacant lot cleanup, graffiti removal, dead tree removal, tree planting, providing woodchip mulch for gardening projects, repair of and installation of street signs and street lights, and traffic safety surveys.

Please note the following key dates:

· September 20, 2011 - Grant Application Workshop (Manhattan)

· November 8, 2011 – Grant Deadline

· Early-December 2011 – Grantees Announced

· Mid-December 2011 – Program Orientation

· April - June 2012 – Project Implementation

The application may be found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/65081320/LYB-2012-Application

For more information, you can visit http://www.citizensnyc.org/grants.html. If you have any questions about the Love Your Block grant, do not hesitate to contact the Citizens Committee for NYC at (212) 989-0909.

UPDATE: MTA/ NYCT Closing (Hurricane Irene)

MTA/NYC Transit System will close by 12:00noon on Saturday, August 27, 2011. [Fox- NY]

Traffic Meter/ MTA Transit Updates

Parking Meters



The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that between August 2011 and June 2012 they will be replacing all remaining single-space parking meters with muni-meters throughout Brooklyn.



Also, effective August 9, 2011, DOT will begin increasing parking meter rates throughout Brooklyn. The new parking meter rates will be $1.00 an hour for short-term parking ($0.25 for 15 minutes), and $8.00 a day at all long-term metered spaces.



Please call the DOT Brooklyn Borough Commissioner at (718) 222-7259 with any further questions.



G-train Service



MTA/ NYC Transit will be operating shuttle buses along portions of the G subway line during 3 upcoming weekends due to track maintenance work. The 3 weekends for alternate service are as follows:



* August 27-29: G service suspended between Hoyt-Schermerhorn and Court Square F station, replaced by shuttle buses

* September 24-26: G service suspended between Bedford-Nostrand Aves. and Court Square F station, replaced by shuttle buses

* October 1-3: same as September 24-26 weekend



All weekend work will start at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and end at 5:00 a.m. on Monday. All service diversions will be noted on posters at each affected station in advance of the weekend work, and MTA NYC Transit staff will be available throughout these weekends at the affected stations to assist our customers get to where they need to go.



Please call the MTA/NYC Transit at (718) 330-1234 with any further questions.

ATTENTION: Community Comments On Lafayette Avenue Loading Zone

On May 9, 2011, Council Member Letitia James and Brooklyn Community Board 2 held a public forum on a proposed Lafayette Avenue Loading Zone, to facilitate unloading and loading by vendors at the Brooklyn Flea market, located behind Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School.

Our office is still collecting comments for this proposal. Please direct them to Alfred Chiodo at achiodo@council.nyc.gov or (718) 260-9191.

ATTENTION: DOT To Install "No Standing Anytime" Signs in CrH

The Department of Transportation will install "No Standing Anytime" signs at Schenectady Avenue and Lincoln Place in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, following a department analysis.

Traffic Signal Being Placed In FG

The New York City Department of Transportation has completed an analysis of the intersection of Hanson Place and St. Felix Street in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in March 2011. A traffic signal has been approved at this location. Installation will be performed by contract and the work is tentatively scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2011.

ATTENTION: Crown Heights Parking Meter Installation

The Office of Council Member Letitia James has recently learned that in accordance with the New York City administrative code, an upcoming installation of parking meters will affect the 35th Council District.

Beginning May 2011, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC-DOT) will install single-space parking meters on both the east and west sides of Troy Avenue from Empire Boulevard to Crown Street, The meter rate will be $.25 per 20 minutes.

The NYC-DOT expects that inconvenience to motorists will be minimal; however, should you have any further questions, you are encouraged to contact the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner’s office at (718) 222-7259.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking regulations Citywide until further notice to facilitate snow removal.

Parking meter regulations remain in effect throughout the City.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking regulations Citywide for Tuesday, January 25, 2011 to facilitate snow removal.

Parking meter regulations will remain in effect throughout the City.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The NYC Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking (street cleaning) on Monday, January 24 for snow removal.

Parking meters will remain in effect.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The NYC Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended alternate side parking for Saturday, January 22 to facilitate snow removal.

Parking meters will remain in effect throughout the City.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended Alternate Side Parking regulations for Tuesday, January 18, 2011.

All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.

ATTENTION: Alternate Side Suspended

The NYC Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation, has suspended Alternate Side Parking Regulations Citywide for Thursday, January 13th, 2011 to facilitate snow removal.

Parking meters will be back in effect throughout the City.