Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan February 10, 2010

Department of Transportation
40 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013

Dear Commissioner Sadik-Khan;

We are writing to express concern about the details of the implementation plans
developed by FCRC consultants Sam Schwartz Engineering for Atlantic Yards, as well as
the process used to disclose those plans to the impacted community.

Although the plans had a projected implementation date of as soon as February

1st, our community board received these plans including their new details on January 8th.
Only a delay in the implementation date of the plans has allowed us time to prepare
comments. In the future it is essential the impacted community be provided a meaningful
period and process for review and comment on all Atlantic Yards related transportation
issues.

We believe implementation of street closures are premature given the status of the
Atlantic Yards development; even so, on their merits and assuming the project moves
forward, these plans would be improved with the interests and knowledge of our
community taken into account.

78th Precinct Parking

While the FEIS for Atlantic Yards discloses the creation of 24 parking spaces for
th
the 78 Precinct inside the project footprint, the location of those spots is shown for the
first time in the implementation plans developed by Sam Schwartz Engineering. The 24
spots are located in areas recently cleared to make way for project buildings scheduled to
be built last in the construction schedule and that may be delayed or not completed.
Permanent underground parking will be provided to the Precinct when and if building
#15 is built.

• Release the interim plans for the second phase in full. Interim surface parking
anticipated to be of limited duration might now have a much longer life.
Surface parking has a significant adverse impact on the context and character
of our neighborhood. The developer has not released sufficient information
across the first phase project construction schedule about the number and

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 programming of surface parking units, or amount of interim open space in the
second phase footprint, for the merits of the proposal to be gauged in any way.
There is a high degree of risk interim surface parking will be in place longer
than anticipated, and may lessen opportunities for the creation of interim open
space.
• Reduce the incentive to drive to the footprint. Our area is rich with
opportunities for public transit. We believe a meaningful program creating
incentives to use transit is consistent with the project goals outlined to the
public and should be made available to Precinct employees.
• Reassess the location of parking to reduce impacts. None of the 24 proposed
interim surface parking spaces is located within the project first phase or the
bed of Vanderbilt railyard. The proposed locations will introduce new
disruptions to current traffic patterns with cars pulling in and out of lots.
There are a number of short, medium and long-term locations inside and
outside the project footprint, some of them pre-existing and closer to the 78th
Precinct than those in the proposal, which would lessen the impact of surface
parking on the community.

o The 6th Avenue Bridge is no longer being demolished and is

already used as a parking resource by the 78th Precinct.
o The remaining LIRR railyard bed.
o Off-site and remote parking including the Atlantic Center mall
parking facility, the HPD parking lot on Dean Street and Metro
Tech.

• Reassess the scale of and need for surface parking. Comprehensive parking
management strategies can reduce the scale of planned off-street parking.
Reuse regular workweek parking spaces for double shift and weekend work.
Reduce parking unit size and re-organize the units. Use valets or parking
attendants to promote efficiency. Use car stackers. Assess true need by
monitoring frequently.

Pacific Street between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues

Pacific Street between Carlton and Vanderbilt should remain a public street and
stay open for vehicles and parking.

Carlton Avenue Bridge

The Carlton Avenue Bridge was anticipated to be closed for eight months,
however the Department of Transportation has recently announced the bridge may be

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closed for as much as four years. No reason for this continuing delay has been provided.
The total length of time the Carlton Avenue and 6th Avenue bridges together were to be
closed was one year and eight months. The Carlton Avenue Bridge is a necessary route
for emergency vehicles and a missing link for pedestrians, cars and bicycles.
Reconstruction of Carlton Avenue Bridge should be initiated immediately.

Carlton Avenue and Pacific Street Lane Changes and On Street Parking

While the FEIS discloses that Carlton Avenue between Pacific and Dean Streets
would be turned into a two way during the bridge closure, if that condition is
implemented it will now last as long as two years. The number of spaces disclosed for
temporary removal on Carlton Avenue is six and on a normal day each side of Carlton on
that block accommodates ten to eleven cars. In order to avoid unnecessary confusion
from drivers, as well as eliminate the need to reduce the number of on-street parking
spaces on Carlton Avenue, Carlton Avenue should stay as it is currently and Pacific
Street should be turned into a one way westbound between Carlton and 6th Avenues.

We believe Brooklyn DOT Borough officers have gone on record supporting this
plan. It should be implemented.

Construction Traffic

Construction staging for the arena belongs inside the first phase footprint located
directly off of two truck routes. Routing construction traffic west and east bound on the
one way local Pacific and Dean Streets between 6th and Carlton is unnecessary and
should be prohibited.

Street Signage

The street signs and VMS for the current street closure were put in place before
community comment could be given in full. Incorrect street signs should be removed.
VMS take up parking spaces. They should be removed until street closures are
implemented.

Moving Forward

Little information about the plans for the multiple phases of Atlantic Yards has
been disclosed to the public and the developer may have a great deal of latitude in the
plans and timetable of the project. We believe mitigation measures would be improved if
the interests and knowledge of the community around the project were taken into
account. We ask the Department of Transportation to put in place a meaningful period

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and process for public review and comment on all future transportation changes in
relation to Atlantic Yards prior to their approval by DOT.

Sincerely Yours,

Peter Krashes for the Dean Street Block Association Board

Dean Street Block Association, 6th Avenue to Vanderbilt Avenue
http://deanstreet11217.wordpress.com/

CC: Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber, Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Joseph Palmieri,
Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Coordinator Chris Hrones, ESDC President and
CEO Dennis Mullen, Executive Director Peter Davidson, ESDC Ombudsman Forrest
Taylor, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, City Councilmember Letitia
James, City Councilmember Stephen Levin, City Councilmember Brad Lander, State
Senator Velmanette Montgomery, State Senator Eric Adams, State Senator Joan
Millman, Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries, Assemblymember James Brennan,
Community Board 8 Chair Nizjoni Granville, District Manager Michelle George,
Community Board 6 Chair Richard Bashner, District Manager Craig Hammerman,
Community Board 2 Chair John Dew, District Manager Robert Perris, FCRC Executive
Vice President Mary Anne Gilmartin, FCRC Senior Vice President Jane Marshall, Sam
Schwartz