Elderly Residents Join Hikind & Markowitz in Protest of Ft. Hamilton Pedestrian Island

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hikindNearly a dozen outraged senior citizens joined Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz to protest the existence of pedestrian islands along Ft. Hamilton Parkway. Their message to the New York City Department of Transportation was simple: “No, thank you.” The Department of Transportation has repeatedly defended the installation of the islands claiming they are necessary to improve senior safety owing to accidents and fatalities in the area.

But Hikind says it’s the logic of the DOT that is fatally flawed. “Seniors are the ones who are most likely to be stuck in the back of the ambulance while emergency personnel struggle to maneuver around these ridiculous islands,” noted Hikind. “If the DOT was so concerned about senior safety, they would remove these islands and allow emergency vehicles to pass unencumbered.”

Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz said, “”These islands make it difficult for people to maneuver. It is ridiculous that the DOT would intentionally jam up traffic so close to a hospital. If this is about safety, how safe is it to delay ambulances right outside of this major medical care facility? The community board was not invited to make any kind of adjustments to this plan. DOT made all the decisions for them and it is a clear demonstration that heavy-handed street changes need much more oversight before they get approved.”

Last month, treatment for a 15-month toddler was delayed when a volunteer ambulance could not navigate around the islands while en route to Maimondes Medical Center. The child did not arrive at the emergency room for a full seven minutes. Also last month, a man in cardiac arrest died in the ambulance when the vehicle became stuck in traffic near the islands. “How many people have to die before the DOT admits they made a horrific mistake with these islands?” asked Hikind.

Hikind added that if the DOT was truly concerned about safety in the neighborhood, pedestrian countdown signals, already in use throughout the City, should have been installed to let seniors know how much time they have to safely cross the street.

{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


3 COMMENTS

  1. These islands were installed by the Governmet. They know better. BE QUIET AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS BESTOWED UPON YOU! (We’re the Government. Trust us.)

  2. For all those who dont live near those Islands,kindly keep your negative reponses to yourself,You have no idea whay goes on here bec of those dreaded islands.

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