You may remember last week's post regarding the parapet above the Manhattan bound F/G train station entrance at President Street, which seemed to be compromised and looked as though it may collapse.
There was also a nasty lateral crack along one of the tiled walls, adjacent to Gowanus Yacht Club's outdoor space, which got progressively worse in the past few days. The situation seems to have been caused by a tree that grew right next to the entrance.
Quite a few of you reached out to M.T.A. and to our elected officials to report the situation.
We are happy to report that the problem is currently being addressed by a large crew from the agency.
Thanks to all who made a call or sent an email, especially Danielle of State Senator Brian Kavanagh's office.
Read more
Carroll Gardener Jay alerted PMFA about a potentially dangerous situation for subway riders in the neighborhood. The parapet above the Manhattan bound F/G train station at President Street seems to be compromised and looks as though it may collapse.
It is the entrance right next to Bagels by the Park and Gowanus Yacht club.
Please be careful and use the entrance on the other side of the street to be safe and until the situaton has been addressed by the M.T.A.
Please let others know.
Council Members Brad Lander, Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon and Councilman Steve Levin
Back in 2010, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.) cut service to several local bus lines and eliminated the B71 bus completely. The B71 ran along Union Street and connected Carroll Gardens to the Park Slope neighborhood and its public institutions like Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum, the Children's Museum and the main Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza.
The route was popular with older citizens, young families and area school children. To this day, its services are great missed.
In the seven years that have passed, our local politicians have held ralliesseveral times to push the M.T.A. to re-instate the bus route. This morning, Council Members Brad Lander, Steve Levin and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon once again gathered with constituents for a "Bring Back The B71 Bus" rally.
This time around, our politicians are pushing for an extended route that would pass through Red Hook and end in Manhattan.
According to a press release, the new B71+ route would: ● Connect seniors, students, families, NYCHA residents, and people with disabilities to schools, stores, and Brooklyn’s cultural institutions: Nine schools, three senior centers, multiple public housing developments, and Brooklyn’s best cultural institutions (Brooklyn Museum, BPL Central Branch, Prospect Park, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum) would be served by this new route. That means better access and increased mobility for residents of Red Hook, Columbia Waterfront, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, and Crown Heights.
● Provide a new connection through Red Hook to Lower Manhattan: Red Hook is not served by any subway stop, and only by two local Brooklyn bus routes. A direct connection between Red Hook and Manhattan would make 90,000 more jobs accessible for Red Hook commuters within a one-hour transit zone. And everyone along the route would gain a convenient new commuting route to Lower Manhattan.
● Serve a growing population: Since the elimination of the B71, population around the route has grown by more than 10% -- much more than the increase for NYC or Brooklyn overall -- but no new transit capacity has been added. The potential rezoning of Gowanus would mean even more demand.
The plan also has the support of Congresswoman Velazquez, Council Member Laurie Cumbo, Council Members Menchaca, and community partners like the Eileen Dugan Senior Center, Gowanus Alliance, TWU Local 100, Transportation Alternatives, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the Fifth Avenue Committee, Gowanus Alliance, Park Slope Civic Council, Red Hook Initiative and many.
Why our elected officials think that there may be a chance now to re-instate the bus route after falling on deaf ears with the M.T.A. for the past seven years, is unclear. The main push for this latest effort may have a lot to do with the proposed re-zoning of the Gowanus Corridor. One of the big concerns voiced by the community during New York City Planning Department's Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study 'listening tour" was that the local subway stations were already overcrowded. Many felt that more residents in Gowanus would make a bad situation worse.
Since this proposed B 71 + route would go all the way to Manhattan, it would certainly accommodate some of the new residents in Gowanus.
Remember that our politicians holding another "Bring Back The B 71 Bus" rally and posing for a photo op is NOT the same as getting the bus back. We need to make sure that they continue to fight for it to make it happen.
In the past few days, a "service change" notice has appeared (and disappeared) several times on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's web site concerning F train service at all three of our local Brooklyn stations. According to the announcement, some Manhattan-bound trains will skip the Smith-9th Street, Carroll Street and Bergen Street stations during morning rush hour and afternoon hours from Monday to Friday till January 27th.
Reader Kim made us aware of the notice a few days ago and called the service change the "latest F train shenanigans." She also concluded that this:
"is most definitely NOT due to actual planned work. 1) it is during rush hour when trains are running, 2) the G would be running on the same line making stops on those same stations, so the excuse that it's "planned work" makes no sense. Is this the MTA's 1st plot to sneak in the local cuts in the new year? One has to wonder.
I am not looking forward to the ridiculous and unsafe number of people on the platform in the coming days. " You may remember that the MTA announced last year that it was proposing the implementation of express F train service between the Jay Street-MetroTech and Church Avenue stations (with a stop at 7th Avenue Park Slope), with half of all F trains running express each way during peak morning and evening rush hours. No new trains would be added to the line.
The express service is slated to be fully implemented in the fall of 2017. During a few weeks this past summer, the MTA already tested the changes.
The plan was met with much skepticism from Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Red Hook and Gowanus residents, who feared that a 50% reduction in service during rush hour at their local stations would lead to severe and dangerous crowding on the platforms.
A "Don't Cut Local F" petition was circulated by a group opposing the change. This past September, the group met with City Councilman Brad Lander, State Senator Daniel Squadron, and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, who pledged to fight the cuts.
Since Kim sent us the latest F train service change information and the link to the MTA web page two days ago, the notice has been taken down and put back up several times. It was back up this morning at 8 am, so we were able to take the screen shot above.
What the MTA is up to. Either this is a legitimate service change due to "planned work" or its not. If it is, why does the announcement keep on disappearing? Why is the G train able to use the tracks that it shares with the F train at these stations?
More likely, it is just MTA's way of getting us used to the express F train and the skipping of our stations during rush hour.
Have you noticed any F train service changes in the past few days? If so, how did this affect you?
To read the MTA Feasibility study for the F rain express service, click here.
UPDATE
I sent the information and a link to this post to State Senator Squadron's office, since he has been very vocal about the F Train express issue in the past. This afternoon, I received a response from Andrea Bender, who works for Squadron.
She writes:
Hi Katia,
Yes -- we are aware of the issues. We've had high level conversation with the MTA about this. They told us they are working on a signal near Bergen Street causing seven Manhattan-bound trains in both the AM/PM rush to run express between Church St. and Jay Street. We are monitoring the impact on the local stations closely. We're asking people to share photos and their experiences with Don't Cut Local F.
Thanks, Andrea
Photo of the F/G train platform at the Carroll Street Station
Back in May of this year, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposed the implementation of express F Train service between the Jay Street-MetroTech and Church Avenue stations (with a stop at 7th Avenue Park Slope) in the fall of 2017, with half of all F trains running express each way during peak morning and evening rush hours.
The change in service would not involve adding new trains to the line.
Though this may save time for many F train riders, the proposal would mean 50% fewer trains for riders in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Gowanus since express trains would bypass the Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith Street/ 9th Street and 4th Avenue stations.
In recent years, ridership has steadily increased at these stations and the platforms are dangerously overcrowded during the morning rush hour. This, predictably will become an even bigger problem with planned development in this highly desirable area.
The reaction to the proposed change amongst local residents has been overwhelmingly negative.
Our local officials almost immediately expressed their dismay by "the utter lack of process on the part of the MTA ."
A Don't Cut Local F web site and petition was set up by Carroll Gardener Erin Lippincott to inform local residents and "to build a voice and the support of our political reps as well as let all of the residents and groups across the affected residents know what's at risk."
This past September, Erin brought our elected officials together with concerned residents, business owners and local school representatives to discuss what the F Train changes will mean to many in the community.
She was kind enough to recap the meeting for PMFA here.
Opposition to Local F Train Cuts in Brooklyn Grows
10/21/16
On September 29th, residents, parents, business owners, school administrators, and community leadership from across the areas threatened by the MTA’sproposed cuts to F Train service in Brooklyn met with elected officials. City Councilman Brad Lander, State Senator Daniel Squadron, and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon pledged to fight the cuts and listened to attendees express the myriad ways these cuts would cause hardship. Natasha Campbell, executive director and founder of the Summit Academy Charter School in Red Hook, said her school will not survive if the cuts go through. Dr. Eric Kenworthy, a private practice physician in Cobble Hill, said not only his patients but also his staff depend on timely F Train service. Peter Freeman, co-owner of Carroll Gardens’ Brooklyn Farmacy, said any cuts to F Train service would be devastating for local businesses and their employees. The MTA has proposed to its board a 50% cut in peak, Monday-Friday rush hour service at the following F Train stops in Brooklyn: Fort Hamilton Pkwy, 15St-Prospect Park, 4 Ave-9 St, Smith-9 St, Carroll St, and Bergen St stations. These cuts would start sometime in 2017. The MTA claims the cuts are needed to facilitate the return of the F Express. But the MTA’s own report shows that the local F Train cuts would hurt more people than the express would help. It also predicts that population growth in Brooklyn will be focused in the very neighborhoods for which it is proposing cuts. The proposal was sent to the MTA Board and leaked to the media before public officials, community boards, or other public representatives were aware of it. A joint press release and petition released by local elected officials expressed anger and disbelief. Attendees at the September 29th meeting formed two committees. One will work with transit and other specialists to review the MTA’s report proposing the F Traincuts (the MTA report is available at DontCutLocalF.com). The other committee will continue outreach within the communities that would be affected. To that end, Assemblyman Ortiz organized a meeting on October 20th, which brought together Red Hook school principals, PTA leadership, and representatives from the community outreach program at Santander Bank to discuss how to fight F Train cuts. One parent, near tears, told the room how she suffered when the Smith-9 St station was closed for years of renovation and that she continues to struggle because there is no elevator in the new station, which is elevated and has dozens of stairs. The new plan to cut F Train service at her station, she said, is unthinkable. DontCutLocalF.com was founded to join communities together to fight these cuts and demand transparency from the MTA and its board. In its petition, it states: These cuts will have serious and negative ramifications across several neighborhoods; from long waits and overcrowding at the even now over-packed stations at Carroll and Bergen Streets to reducing subway access for the already under-served residents and businesses in Red Hook and the ColumbiaWaterfront to leaving our infrastructure unprepared for large-scale developmentsuch as what is planned for Gowanus. If the MTA wants to add the F Express, that is great, but it should not do so by stranding residents and businesses via cuts to local service. Learn more, sign the petitions, and get involved at DontCutLocalF.com or email DontCutLocalF@gmail.com
Back in May, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that it will be running express F train service between the Jay Street-MetroTech and Church Avenue stations (with a stop at 7th Avenue Park Slope) this summer for a limited time. The express service will be fully implemented in the fall of 2017, with half of all F trains running express each way during peak morning and evening rush hours.
Though this may save time for many F train riders in Brooklyn, it does cut trains by 50% for those in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Gowanus since no new trains will be added to the line. This seems like a poorly thought out plan given the fact that ridership along the Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith Street/ 9th Street and 4th Avenue stations has steadily increased over the past few years.
To make people in the neighborhood more aware of these changes, Carroll Gardener Erin Lippincott, who, together with her husband, has set up a Don't Cut Local F web site. She is also petitioning the MTA Board not to make the cuts.
Erin's goal is "to build a voice and the support of our political reps as well as let all of the residents and groups across the affected residents know what's at risk."
The MTA proposes to decrease local F Train service by 50% during peak hours at the Bergen St, Carroll St, Smith-9 St, 4 Av-9 St, 15 St-Prospect Park, and Fort Hamilton Pkwy stations as part of a plan to revive the F-Express service. These cuts would seriously harm the residents and businesses along this busy subway corridor and are scheduled to be implemented in 2017.
We support reviving the F Express Train—but not at the expense of the many thousands in Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Columbia Waterfront, Red Hook, Park Slope, and Windsor Terrace who rely on the F train daily. Some of these stations (Bergen and Carroll St stations) are are among the busiest on the F line. They are already crowded at peak hours and, with large-scale residential developments underway, it promises to get worse. In Gowanus a new 12-story apartment complex alone will soon add 700 market-rate and affordable rental units just two blocks from the Carroll St. station. Then there is the fact that cuts to the local F will further isolate the already under-served neighborhoods of Red Hook and the Columbia Waterfront. Red Hook is home to the 2nd largest public housing development in NYC and the Smith-9 St station is the sole subway link for those residents. These cuts will be a big blow.
Please sign the petition here and tell MTA Board Members: No cuts to local F Train service in Brooklyn!
from MTA's "Feasibility and Analysis Study of F Express Service in Brooklyn"here
On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced that it will be running express F train service between the Jay Street-MetroTech and Church Avenue stations (with a stop at 7th Avenue Park Slope) as early as this summer for a limited time. The express service will be fully implemented in the fall of 2017, with half of all F trains running express each way during peak morning and evening rush hours.
No new trains will be added to the line.
Though this may save time for many F train riders, it does cut trains by 50% for those in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Gowanus. Indeed, ridership along the Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith Street/ 9th Street and 4th Avenue stations has steadily increased over the past few years.
Local resident Rob Underhill doesn't think this will be an improvement for Carroll Gardens subway riders. He told PMFA:
"I can't see how this is going to be better for people at those stops if you have to wait twice as long for a train in the mornings. It gets pretty crowded as it is if one of them is just a couple minutes late."
Second Avenue Saga, a site dedicated to all news pertaining to the New York City transit system, doesn't think this change in F train service will help riders who use the Carroll Street or Smith/9th Street Station. "F express service would lead to reduced service for some of the F’s busiest Brooklyn stations. Carroll St., Smith-9th Sts., 4th-9th Sts., and 15th St.-Prospect Park, to name a few, would see less frequent F train service, and the ridership from those stations far outpaces the number of riders who would gain a few minutes from the express service. If the MTA can’t rehabilitate the lower level at Bergen St. to permit passenger service — an undertaking that would be quite expensive, according to 2012 comments from one Transit official, another 11,000 riders would see F service slashed. Simply put, based on current load guidelines, the MTA cannot add F express service while maintaining local service frequencies that handle customer demand." Brooklyn elected officials Council Member Brad Lander, Council Member Stephen Levin, State Senator Daniel Squadron, State Senator Jesse Hamilton, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, State Senator Kevin S. Parker, and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon issued the following statement yesterday: “We are extremely dismayed by the utter lack of process on the part of the MTA regarding proposed new F-Express service between Church Avenue and Jay St-MetroTech stops in Brooklyn. The proposed service change harms more people than it helps, ignores our request for increased service, and pits Brooklyn residents against each other, creating ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ without sufficient information or dialogue."
Let us hear from F train riders in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill or Gowanus.
Do you see this as a positive service change or will this just mean more crowded platforms and more wait time in our stations?
Let's discuss.
Access the MTA Feasibility and Analysis Study of F Express service in Brooklyn here
Long time Carroll Gardens resident Anastasia sent us an email in regards to yesterday's F train delays. She writes:
"Friday's commute was another trial in patience at the Carroll Street subway station as the "F" train was grossly delayed. What I am curious about and what makes it worse is the fact that there is a token clerk in the booth and speakers in the Carroll Gardens subway station however, commuters were standing around talking to each other wondering what is going on while waiting for an "F" train to come. With no resolve, many took the "G" train, at least they were moving. It is too much to ask the token clerk to use the speakers in the subway station to announce whatever the problem the Culver line is having? Or better yet, get off his 'duff' and walk the platform and inform commuters what the problem is. Is this where our $2.50 is going? What good is having speakers in subway stations if they are not used? If they don't work - fix-it! after all, subway fares are going up to $2.75. For what?? FORGETABOUTIT....the "F" line sucks!"
Couldn't agree more. Apparently there were quite a few delays on the F this past week. How was your commute these past few days?
I, myself, took the train into Manhattan yesterday afternoon and had some serious problems swiping my metro card. So did some of the people behind me. One card reader would not work at all and the other only worked after repeated swiping. For a second, I thought I would have to jump over the turnstile like the folks over at the Bergen Street station last week.
While I was away last week, friend David sent me the photo above of the Carroll Street F and G train station's President Street Manhattan-side entrance, where the MTA booth was removed recently.
Granted, there still is a booth with a clerk at the other entrance at Second Place and there are two Metro card machines on the President Street side, but it always seemed safer at that end of the station when there was a clerk available, even if only occasionally.
Over the years, there have been many instances when the MTA wanted to eliminate this particular booth, but there always came an angry outcry from the neighborhood and our politicians, who cited safety concerns. The MTA always backed off. I guess this time, the agency moved ahead without much advance notice to the community.
If the MTA isn't going to staff the booth with a station clerk at this end of the station, it's obsolete, of course, but I can't help being a bit sad about losing it.
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