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Greenpoint street safety advocates rally in support of redesigning dangerous boulevard
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 7, 2023
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Catalina Gonella / Gothamist
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 7, 2023
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Dozens of people rallied in Greenpoint Friday in support of the Department of Transportation’s plan to redesign McGuinness Boulevard, a notoriously dangerous corridor in the neighborhood where three people have been killed in traffic accidents since 2012 and hundreds more have been injured, according to data from the city.
The rally came after publications The City and Streetsblog reported that the mayor had walked back his support for the redesign, which would reduce the street’s four vehicle travel lanes to two in order to add bike lanes.
Street safety advocate Kevin LaCherra with the group Make McGuinness Safe led the rally, beginning with a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in traffic incidents on the street.
“We are here tonight to tell the mayor that Greenpoint needs him to make good on his promise and to implement his plan to make McGuinness safe, that is what we want, is what we need,” LaCherra told the crowd.
The rally Friday was held outside Broadway Stages, a film production company with several stages in the area that has come out against the plan.
Catalina Gonella / Gothamist
According to the reports, the mayor was advised against the plan by top aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who told the mayor local businesses opposed the redesign, and that support for it was coming from outside the neighborhood. Adams ordered the DOT to come up with alternatives.
Several locals at the rally disagreed with the notion that outsiders were supporting the redesign.
Cole Kennedy lives on McGuinness Boulevard and joined the organizing efforts after having a near-death experience on the corridor when he was almost hit by a car while biking.
“It's particularly hurtful when they throw out this entire plan because someone in Eric Adams' administration tells them, ‘forget all of the organizing, forget what your professionals have told you, forget what the people who have engineering degrees have done.’ Someone just whispers in your ear and says, ‘no, no, no, it's all outsiders’ — and it's not true. We're here,” he said.
The department of transportation and city hall said the DOT was reviewing the redesign.
“NYC DOT is dedicated to enhancing the safety of critical arteries like McGuinness Boulevard. We’re reviewing community stakeholder feedback as we finalize the design,” said DOT spokesperson Mona Bruno.
Greenpoint resident Nina Cinelli was at the rally Friday. She is among those rooting for McGuinness Boulevard to be redesigned with an eye toward safety.
Catalina Gonella / Gothamist
“DOT has put forward a proposal to continue advancing that safety work. They have participated in dozens of meetings over multiple years and are continuing to refine the proposal as they receive feedback from the community. All decisions are based on the merits of any issue.”
The rally Friday was held outside Broadway Stages, a film production company with several stages in the area that has come out against the plan. The company is owned by the Argentos, a powerful family at the forefront of the campaign against the street redesign, according to The City.
“We think it's shortsighted and what it’s doing is yielding to the pedestrians and bikers without thinking about impact on businesses. If the impact on business is bad the neighborhood washes up,” said Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Broadway Stages and 100 Sutton Studios — both businesses in Greenpoint. “You can slow down traffic, can put in speed bumps to slow traffic for cars and trucks, but keep the artery open.”
At the rally on Friday, Greenpoint mom Nina Cinelli disagreed, adding she thought the current plan was a good compromise, and expressed her disappointment in the mayor.
“We're just trying to have a local route for families to cross, kids to cross and also elderly people there, which are a lot in this neighborhood,” she said. “I really would like the mayor to know that he's literally gone in the wrong direction on this one.”
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Catalina Gonella
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