Readers Write: Can Boro Park’s Construction Projects Be Better Coordinated?

To my neighbors and to the City, 

Anyone who drove through Boro Park over the last few days probably experienced the same thing I did. One block is closed, then the next one, then another. Before you know it, you’re stuck in traffic trying to figure out which streets are even open.

Yes, roads need to be repaired. Trees need to be pruned. Infrastructure has to be upgraded. Nobody is arguing with that.

But why does it all have to happen at once?

Between green infrastructure projects, repaving, tree work, and other construction, it feels like large parts of the neighborhood have been turned into work zones at the same time. The traffic has become unbearable, city buses are getting caught in the congestion, and simply getting across Boro Park has become a challenge.

What is even more frustrating is the lack of coordination. Why are so many streets allowed to be closed simultaneously? Why weren’t residents given proper notice before entire blocks were shut down? It seems like every agency is working on its own schedule without anyone looking at the bigger picture. Where are our representatives who are supposed to address our quality-of-life concerns?

This isn’t the first time Boro Park has gone through this. We’ve seen it happen before, and each time residents are left wondering who is making sure these projects are coordinated in a way that allows a neighborhood to keep functioning.

Our community deserves better planning, better communication, and better coordination. Necessary work shouldn’t have to bring an entire neighborhood to a standstill.

Hopefully, this is the last time Boro Park experiences construction on this scale without a coordinated plan.

Signed, 

A Frustrated Resident