To the editor,
We were dismayed, surprised and saddened by your Sept. 15 editorial (“Who needs an F express?”). Chock-full of misconceptions, gross oversimplifications and simply wrong information, the editorial provides a disservice to residents of not just Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, but to all Brooklynites who stand to benefit from express service along the F line and an overall increase of service along the Culver Line.
First among your charges is that due to a supposed bottleneck at York Street, “there may not be enough capacity to add trains.” This is unfounded. In other places where express and local tracks feed into one — the 7 line comes to mind — express service and increased train capacity have led to a lessening of crowded trains. If our greatest concern is one focusing on a scheduling issue past Jay St./ Borough Hall, the real location of the bottleneck, then we have nearly won the battle for express service.
As we have stressed, we don’t need to build new subway tracks to increase service along the Culver Line. The express tracks — the only unused express tracks in the city — were built with the subway line in the 1920s. We don’t need the hard work, vision or money to build new subways; we just need an MTA willing to utilize underused tracks.
Our plan calls for extending V service into Brooklyn and adding F express service into Kensington and beyond. Taken together, we fail to see how Brownstone Brooklynites won’t enjoy the benefits. The V would service the current F stops, and the F will service the express stations. Both trains will run frequently, and both will be less crowded.
We can’t afford to ignore or dismiss the solution right under our noses: Brooklyn needs a restored F express and extended V local, and everyone will benefit from that service.
Benjamin Kabak
www.secondavesagas.com
Gary Reilly
firstandcourt.blogspot.com
Jennifer Gagnon
kensingtonbrooklyn.blogspot.com
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To the editor,
One way to improve F-train service is simple: eliminate the portion of G train that runs on the same track as the F train in Brooklyn. The G can terminate at Hoyt-Schmerhorn station, where passengers from Brooklyn can transfer to the A or C trains to Manhattan. Those wishing to go to Coney Island can take the A or C one stop to Jay Street-Borough Hall to transfer to the F train.
The V train can be then be extended into Brooklyn to Kings Highway, and the F can become an express to Coney Island.
Naturally this should only be during the morning and evening rush hours.
No new tracks or switches, no new platforms and no millions of dollars spent. Think about it, Mayor Bloomberg.
L. Gerber, Manhattan
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To the editor,
It is unbelievable to see a paper call the proposed F-express proposal “simple populism.” You argued that “there may not be enough capacity to add trains,” but the operative word is “may.”
Clearly, no one on you editorial staff rides the F train.
Angelo Onofrio, Park Slope
Editor’s note: Several members of The Brooklyn Paper staff do, in fact, ride the F train every day.
Going postal
To the editor,
The Kensington post office is still a nightmare. How can they continually get away with it?
Joyce Siegel, Kensington
No Coney-ops
To the editor,
It is without doubt that Coney Island is in need of a make-over, but the big stumbling block is Thor Equities’ plan to put housing in the amusement area (“Roadblock! City not ready to yield to Thor,” Feb. 3).
Coney Island is a Mecca for amusement and a escape from the daily grind. Thor Equities is not in this type of business. As soon as the zoning is changed in favor of the rise of condos or co-ops, Coney Island will vanish!
Thor Equities has been known in the past to renege on its promises once the zoning is changed. Coney will be privatized again, allowing only the people with enough money and power to purchase/lease. What’s next? Co-ops in the middle of Prospect Park?
So-called developers purchase sites and erect buildings that stand out like sore thumbs in places like Bay Ridge, Fort Greene, Park Slope and Downtown. If the Heights wasn’t landmarked, I’m sure it would be turned into money makers for developers who build and then move on.
I hope the city steps back, looks at the overall picture and realizes that this should not happen. Paul Toomey, Bay Ridge
Et tu, Paper?
To the editor,
Your recent editorial about Duffield Street (“Sad irony on Duffield,” Sept. 22) reiterated The Brooklyn Paper’s call for Brooklyn Bridge Park to be named “Harriet Tubman Park.”
It seems to me that renaming your newspaper the “Harriet Tubman Press” would be easier — and it has a nice “jingle” to it.
Alvin Pankin, Downtown
Express crush
To the editor,
In a recent column in your Bay Ridge Edition, Matthew Lysiak mentioned the problem that most Bay Ridge express bus riders have been dealing with for at least the last six months: Commuting home from Midtown is particularly painful (“The Kitchen Sink,” Bay Ridge Edition and online, Sept. 22).
I board the Brooklyn-bound X37 at its second stop just after 5 pm, and there are routinely lines of 25-30 people. By the time the bus reaches my husband’s stop at 30th Street, there is standing room only.
No one should be expected to pay $5 to stand from Midtown to Bay Ridge.
There is a water taxi dock down by Fairway in Red Hook; why can’t there be a similar one installed at the 69th Street pier? What purpose does the 69th Street pier serve to the community as a whole, beyond serving as a fishing site? I’d like to see local officials, including our Councilman Vince Gentile, address this serious transportation issue.
The MTA needs to address the express bus shortage issue and we need to utilize our waterways for more eco-friendly commuting.
Regina Finnen, Bay Ridge
Loves ‘trolley’
To the editor,
The talk on the free Heart of Brooklyn trolley was that it will probably be going away due to your recent story (“Marty’s trolley folly,” Sept 8).
I must tell you that I loved my trolley ride with my great niece today. I got on and off the trolley twice, paid admission to the zoo (with two guests), enjoyed lunch there, purchased snacks and gifts and had a great day.
P.S. There were tourists on this trolley from various places and all loved the free ride.
Maureen O’Boyle, Sunset Park
Congrats!
To the editor,
Your recent awards from the Independent Free Papers of America, which follows up on a previous award for “Newspaper of the Year” from the Suburban Newspaper Association are two more reasons why those who want to be in the know look forward to each edition of The Brooklyn Paper (“Paper wins — again!” Sept. 22).
But only your paper was brave enough to take on the well-financed special interests that support Bruce Ratner’s infamous Atlantic Yards project. You provided far more in-depth coverage on this ongoing story then the so-called major dailies. And The Brooklyn Paper continues to provide real neighborhood coverage not found in other daily newspapers.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
’Coon crony
To the editor,
The hysteria over raccoons “screaming” at children needs to be tempered by an understanding of these shy, amazing creatures (“Masked bandits caught,” Sept. 22). Raccoons are absolutely no threat to children or adults. Rabid raccoons are extremely rare.
Councilman Vince Gentile has the right idea to use a humane repellent. But capturing these animals and leaving them in a trap before they are brought to animal control and certain death, is simply the wrong thing to do.
Wayne Johnson, Brooklyn Heights
