Katz, Queens Borough Board To See Queens Bus Network Redesign
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and the Queens Borough Board today will hear a presentation from Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit regarding its recently completed draft plan to redesign the Queens Bus Network.
For the past eight months, NYC Transit has been engaged in the Queens Bus Network redesign project. The effort seeks to develop a plan to provide more frequent and reliable bus service that better satisfies the needs of the borough and addresses the problems in the borough’s current bus network, which has not substantially changed in decades despite the many changed dynamics of Queens.
The project has included numerous public workshops and other forums during which NYC Transit received input from residents on how Queens bus service can best be improved.
The meeting will be a chance for NYC Transit to publicly present and discuss its recently completed draft Queens Bus Network redesign plan. This draft plan will then undergo another round of public review and comment that will help NYC Transit turn it into a final redesign plan, which is scheduled to be released in Q2 of 2020.
The meeting is slated for 5:30 p.m., today, Dec. 16 at Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens.
Constantinides Launches Plan to Revamp NYCHA Properties in Queens
City Council Member and Borough President Candidate Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, parts of Long Island City, Woodside) announced a plan last week to ensure NYCHA residents in Queens get the investments and services they deserve.
The plan includes that tenant leaders’ voices are heard, so they can get the resources the nearly two-dozen NYCHA campuses in Queens deserve.
“NYCHA has shamefully failed generations of public housing residents, whose complaints about mold, no heat, and little investment have long been ignored,” said Constantinides. “The next Borough President must figure out how we bring our tenant leaders together, give NYCHA residents a voice, advocate for more funds to fix this broken system, and green our campuses. Together we can Transform Queens to breathe new life into public housing.”
Constantinides’ plan includes:
- Appoint More Public Housing Residents to Community Boards.
- Assign a Public Housing Director to Oversee a Tenant Leaders Roundtable: Constantinides would also bring tenant leaders from every Queens NYCHA development together for regular roundtable meetings, so they can work together and solve problems across the authority’s campuses.
- Create a Green New Deal for Public Housing in Queens: Constantinides will also embrace elements of the growing movement to deliver a Green New Deal for Public Housing. Enhancing NYCHA buildings through large-scale, multi-sourced funding will also combat the underlying problems at these properties — especially mold.
- Green and Revitalize Communal Spaces: At Borough Hall, he’ll continue to leverage partnerships to make new investments in community, youth, and senior centers. Constantinides’ plan also includes unlocking green spaces — many of which have been locked away for generations. As Borough President, he’ll work with NYCHA officials to identify areas to either create or reopen green space and lawns for community use.
Nolan Participates In “Elect Her” Roundtable Event
Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Astoria, Woodside, Long Island City, Maspeth, Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Dutch Kills, Blissville) last week participated in an “Elect Her” roundtable and networking event organized by Running Start, which produces programs for high school and college women interested in running for political office.
Joining Nolan were Queens lawmakers including Assembly Members Alicia Hyndman and Nily Rozic and City Councilwoman and Chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) among other notables.
“I was honored to address the group of engaged and vibrant young women that Running Start has brought together. As we strive to encourage more women to run for office, we know that fostering an interest in politics and leadership, and providing a system of support and collaboration is crucial to their success. The opportunity to share my experiences and to exchange ideas with the Running Start mentees was a privilege. It was a great reminder for all of us of how critical it is to support other women and to share the tools necessary to thrive in the ever-changing political field,” said Nolan.
Stavisky, Senate Majority Hold Pubic Hearing On CUNY, SUNY Capital Needs
State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Central Queens), Chair of the Senate Committee on Higher Education, and the committee today will hold a public hearing on funding the capital needs of New York’s public colleges.
The hearing will include input from higher education professionals, sustainability experts and other stakeholders about meeting the capital needs of CUNY & SUNY campuses.
The hearing is slated for 11:30 a.m., today, Dec. 16 at the Senate Hearing Room, 250 Broadway, 19th Floor, in Lower Manhattan.
