June 6, 2016 Thomas F. Prendergast Chairman & CEO Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2 Broadway New York, NY 10004 Polly Trottenberg Commissioner New York City Department of Transportation 55 Water Street New York, NY 10041 Dear Chairman Prendergast and Commissioner Trottenberg: As elected officials representing areas that include 14th Street in Manhattan, we thank you for holding the recent public meetings about the L line and for seeking public input on the Canarsie tunnel project. To that purpose, we are writing to request the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Department of Transportation study reserving lanes of 14th Street for selected forms of traffic, particularly bus service during the upcoming work. We need to mitigate the impact of construction, and that includes exploring ways to best manage valuable street space and to support the increased number of straphangers who will use cross-town buses during an L line closure. Whichever L line plan is chosen, it is likely that the above-ground portion of 14th Street will see gridlock if left as is during a long term disruption of L train service, including more pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders. According to the
DOT’
s biannual
“
pedestrian volume index,
”
pedestrian traffic on 14th Street has steadily increased since 2007, and we anticipate that an L line closure will build significantly on this already dangerously congested thoroughfare. The Regional Plan Association
’s
April 2016 whitepaper
“A
New L Train for New
Yorkers,”
proposed that two lanes of traffic exclusively serve buses in each direction. In its plan, the remaining lanes would be transformed to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists and no private vehicles or taxicabs would be permitted. Obviously any workable plan would need to at least allow for 24-hour emergency vehicles, Access-A-Ride, and other means of transportation for people with disabilities
–
temporary or permanent, and look at having this access open during certain times of the day to accommodate people accessing health care providers, as well as deliveries for local businesses and residences. The RPA proposal also raises serious concerns about impairing transportation options for people who are dependent on driving and traffic impacts on nearby cross-town streets. Foremost, we request that you ensure an opportunity for thorough input from the public and specifically from elected officials, community boards, block associations, local businesses, non-profit institutions, and commuters in the scope of this proposed study.
The study should explore the potential traffic impact from river to river on streets surrounding 14th Street, including at a minimum 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th Streets and streets that begin or terminate at 14th Street, including Avenues A and B, Irving Place, University Place, and Washington Street. Of particular note, 13th and 17th Streets
–
which travel from east to west unimpeded
–
warrant further evaluation as they may bear the burden of additional congestion as a result of changes to 14th Street. Additionally, the study should consider the needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities. While we note that strategic closures in other areas of the City
–
such as Times Square
–
have increased travel efficiency, improved traffic, and enhanced pedestrian safety, every corridor is different and has its own unique challenges. We believe that a study is warranted to evaluate the particular challenges of this corridor. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact any of us directly or Senator
Hoylman’s
office at 212-633-8052. Sincerely, Brad Hoylman Jerrold Nadler Carolyn Maloney State Senator Congressmember Congressmember Nydia Velázquez Gale Brewer Liz Krueger Congressmember Manhattan Borough President State Senator Dick Gottfried Brian Kavanagh Deborah Glick Assemblymember Assemblymember Assemblymember Corey Johnson Dan Garodnick Council Member Council Member cc: Veronique Hakim, President, MTA New York City Transit Margaret Forgione, Manhattan Borough Commissioner, DOT Manhattan Community Boards 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
