Where are the local electeds on this one?

From the Forum West:

A fight by residents in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to push the MTA out of the community could have a negative outcome for Maspeth.

The Brooklyn Paper reported last week that political rivals Councilman Steve Levin (D- Greenpoint) and Greenpoint district leader Lincoln Restler were both pressuring the MTA to abandon its Access-a-Ride depot at 65 Commercial Street. In 2005, the city agreed to build parkland at the site, but in the following six years, the MTA has yet to obtain a new property to store Access-a-Ride vehicles.

Now, the MTA is considering a site in Maspeth to relocate the Acess-a-Ride depot. According to MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan, the proposed site is on the east side of 49th Street, between 56th Road and Galasso Place.

“We’re working with the Mayor’s Office, which has agreed to make the site ready for use as a depot,” Donovan said in an e-mail.

For a community that already feels overburdened by commercial traffic, the proposed site is worrisome.

Maspeth, like Greenpoint, has been fighting for more public parkland. Residents have fought an ongoing battle to convert the former St. Saviour’s property into a park. The community also deals with constant traffic congestion.

The Cross Harbor Freight Program could create more truck traffic in that area if the proposal goes through, and the expansion of Waste Management’s Review Avenue site will bring more garbage trucks through the neighborhood. The MTA also already has an Access-a-Ride depot on Maurice Avenue.

“As far as I’m concerned, if Brooklyn wants to create a park at Access-a-Ride’s present location, then an alternate site should be found in Brooklyn,” Daraio said.

Agreed. Brooklyn dumping on Queens. You gotta love it.

Unfortunately, the local electeds were not quoted in this article. Is anyone surprised? Well, this will be a very expensive relocation considering that the site requires remediation before anything can be put there. That's why it's been vacant for years.

Seeking federal funds for local projects

From the Daily News:

The wish list for federal funding of local and state construction projects includes:

- High-speed Amtrak rail lines to Albany from the city and Buffalo.

- The second phase of the Second Ave. subway line linking the Bronx to Brooklyn.

- Completion of the long-planned Moynihan train station as a major transit hub.

- Rapid modernization of the city’s subway system.

- Underground freight tunnel to bring cargo into the region by rail.

- A complete overhaul of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

- Train linking Penn Station directly to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.

- An upgraded air-traffic control system at the three airports, cutting down on delays and increasing capacity.

What's with this guy?

From Globest:

Certain projects that provide affordable housing to residents here are in the best interest of the city and require the need for eminent domain, said Bill de Blasio, New York City’s public advocate, speaking at a breakfast put on by non-profit association ABNY. He specifically pointed to the controversial mixed-use Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn being built by developer Bruce Ratner, which bought out a number of residences and building in the area and was the center of a contentious legal battle.

“I do think there’s a place for eminent domain,” de Blasio said, explaining that he is a “pro development progressive.” “When appropriate you do maximize height and density to maximize affordable housing.”

This ass actually thinks there will be affordable housing at Atlantic Yards?

De Blasio is also interested in building a cross-harbor tunnel for rail and freight traffic, a move he said would greatly cut down on truck traffic in Manhattan. “That’s something we should commit ourselves to not matter how difficult it may be to achieve,” he said.

Why is he interested in cutting down truck traffic in Manhattan and dumping it all in Queens and Brooklyn? Isn't this prick from Brooklyn? Oh wait, so are Jerry Nadler and Anthony Weiner and they love it as well. All their big donors are in Manhattan, that's why.

From Fox 5:

NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is demanding the E-ZPass call center change the way it handles calls from Spanish-speaking customers after his office uncovered what he calls a disturbing pattern.

"This isn't customer service when it comes to Spanish speaking customers," de Blasio said. "It's telling them they don't matter, telling them they don't count and their calls are irrelevant, which to me is unacceptable."

According to the report, 46 percent (or 93 out of 205) phone calls de Blasio's office made to the Spanish-speaking e-z pass line were either disconnected; no one was available; or transferred to a recorded message.

A Spanish-speaking Fox 5 producer called the E-ZPass line twice and was helped almost right away.

Well I'm glad DeBlasio has time to tweed. How do Spanish speaking drivers read street signs that are in English? Isn't that a huge public safety concern the public advocate should be looking into?