Hikind, Cuomo’s Office Meet on Ocean Parkway Traffic Changes

A Brooklyn lawmaker met with officials in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office on Monday to voice concerns with imminent traffic changes on Ocean Parkway.

Assemblyman Dov Hikind met with the state’s deputy transportation commissioner Phil Eng, as well as with New York City transit officials and several elected officials. He urged the state to cancel a planned ban on right turns from the main south Brooklyn artery onto avenues C, J, P and Kings Highway until further review and input from the community.

The state eliminated the right turns after statistics show Ocean Parkway to be one of the most dangerous roadways in the state. There have been 10 accidents over a two-year period along Avenue J, and two each along Avenue P and Kings Highway.

Hikind said that none of the accidents had been a result of making right turns.

“The whole premise of the Ocean Parkway Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety project is to improve safety, and it’s very hard to imagine a safer Ocean Parkway with these changes being implemented,” Hikind said.

Hikind added that eliminating the turns “will only divert traffic onto service roads and further congest these narrow streets.”

Other lawmakers, including Councilmen David Greenfield and Chaim Deutsch, as well as state Sen. Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Steve Cymbrowitz, have also expressed concern with the announced changes.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the December 13th, 2016 edition of Hamodia.