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January 28, 2009
Carlton Avenue Bridge Could Be Closed for 3, or Potentially 5, Years
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn
The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) told an appellate court last year that the Carlton Avenue bridge, which is a major connector between Prospect Heights/Park Slope and Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, would be taken down by Forest City Ratner and reopened in 2 years. Forest City Ratner and the ESDC also made the same representation to the public and to elected officials—that this closure would only last two years—from January 2008 to January 2010.
But Ratner and ESDC were knowingly misleading everyone as shown in documents acquired by Norman Oder and revealed today on his Atlantic Yards Report. When those 2 year representations were made to the public, Ratner and NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) had already signed an agrreement that Ratner could take at least 3 years to rebuild the bridge and potentially up to 5 years.
It's just the latest example of unaccountability and non-transparency by the state and city agencies and the "developer," where the community—people who walk or drive places and expect speedy emergency services unhindered by unnecessary street closures—gets the short end of the stick.
Posted by eric at January 28, 2009 10:35 AM