A public forum tonight will address deadly conditions at Ocean Parkway and Church Avenue in Brooklyn.
Church Avenue crosses Ocean Parkway at the terminus of the Prospect Expressway. Crossing distances are extreme, and though it includes pedestrian islands, the current street layout is meant to maximize vehicle throughput.
Between 2009 and 2017, crashes at Ocean and Church injured 182 people, according to city data. Drivers turning from Church onto Ocean have killed two people crossing the intersection on foot in the last five years.
Tonight’s meeting follows the killing of Faustino Garcia by a turning box truck driver in February. A tractor-trailer driver killed 73-year-old Ngozi Agbim at Ocean and Church in 2013.
Convened by City Council Member Brad Lander and Assembly Member Robert Carroll, the forum will bring together reps from NYC DOT, the state DOT, and the 66th Precinct, to discuss measures to prevent further loss of life.
Despite the carnage, officials including Simcha Felder, Dov Hikind, and Letitia James have opposed changes intended to make Ocean Parkway less deadly. So it’s important that officials hear from people who want a safer street.
Details on tonight’s forum and other calendar highlights below. Check the calendar for more info on these and other events.
- Today: Public meeting concerning traffic conditions at Ocean Parkway and Church Avenue. The Parkside School, 713 Caton Avenue. 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday: The City Council transportation committee holds a hearing on traffic congestion. City Hall. 10 a.m.
- Also Tuesday: Brooklyn CB 1 will hear from the U.S. Postal Service about truck parking, and DOT will present a summary of the North Brooklyn Transportation Study. 211 Ainslie Street. 6 p.m.
- More Tuesday: DOT will update Brooklyn CB 10 on proposed streetscape changes to improve safety for school kids at Ninth Avenue and 63rd Street. 8119 Fifth Avenue. 7 p.m.
- Wednesday: TransitCenter hosts a screening of Free to Ride, "a modern-day civil rights saga about the racism embedded in opposition to a public transit expansion," followed by a Q&A with some of the film's subjects. RSVP to events@transitcenter.org. 1 Whitehall Street, 17th floor, Manhattan. 6 p.m.
- Also Wednesday: Families for Safe Streets hosts a support group meeting for traffic violence victims and survivors. Transportation Alternatives, 111 John Street, #260. 6:30 p.m. RSVP info here.
- Thursday: Join TransAlt for a "bike train" commute over the Williamsburg Bridge in preparation for next year's L train shutdown, with appearances by City Council members Antonio Reynoso, Stephen Levin, and Keith Powers. RSVP here. Ride begins at 379 Union Avenue in Brooklyn at 8 a.m.
Watch the calendar for updates. Drop us a line if you have an event we should know about.
