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PIN X735.82 Van Wyck Expressway Capacity and Access Improvements to JFK Airport Project FDR/FEIS

CHAPTER 5 Public Involvement PIN X735.82 Van Wyck Expressway Capacity and Access Improvements to JFK Airport Project FDR/FEIS

Public Involvement

This chapter describes the public involvement process that has been developed and implemented for the Van Wyck Expressway Capacity and Access Improvements to JFK Airport Project (Project). Public involvement is an integral part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) have provided meaningful opportunities for public and agency participation and engagement in the Project.

As described in Section 4.2.3 (Environmental Justice), the Study Area for the Project includes minority and/or low-income communities. Executive Order (EO) 12898 Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations requires federal agencies to provide meaningful opportunities for affected minority and/or low-income communities to provide input on a project. As described below, the public involvement activities and methods for involving the public in the Project were developed in consideration of the needs and characteristics of these communities (e.g., holding meetings within the local communities near public transportation routes and advertising meetings in locations that are frequented by the local communities).

According to the NYSDOT Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan, “Generally, if a NYSDOT activity will have an impact on an area where an eligible LEP language group constitutes 5 percent or 1,000 people, whichever is less, reasonable efforts should be put forth to provide meaningful access.” Table 5-1 presents a list of languages spoken by 1 percent or more of the Study Area population.

Table 5-1: Languages Spoken by 1 Percent or More of Study Area Population Language Spoken Count Percentage English 101,028 57% Spanish 33,824 19% Other Indic 10,193 6% Chinese 4,822 3% Russian 4,813 3% Hindi 2,670 2% Urdu 2,362 1% Hebrew 2,041 1% French 1,681 1% French Creole 1,647 1% Tagalog 1,488 1% Arabic 1,213 1% African 970 1% Polish 936 1% Other Indo-European Language 885 1% Source: United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2015

In the 59 census tracts covering the Study Area, exclusively English speakers comprise 57 percent of the population. Spanish is the primary non-English language spoken in the Study Area, comprising

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19 percent of the Study Area population. Other Indic languages are spoken by 6 percent of the Study Area.1 Chinese and Russian languages each account for approximately 3 percent of the total population in the Study Area.

In compliance with the federal EO 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, and the State of New York’s EO 26, Statewide Language Access Policy, the public involvement activities for the Project were developed to consider those populations with limited English proficiency (as described below). Reasonable efforts were made to provide meaningful access for the LEP populations within the Study Area.

Figure 5-1 depicts the locations of the public meetings and public hearings that were held for the Project; the locations where flyers advertising the public meetings and public hearings were distributed; and the areas of minority and/or low-income communities.

5.1 PUBLIC MEETINGS

5.1.1 Scoping Meeting

A public scoping meeting for the Project was held on Wednesday, September 27, 2017, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation’s Harvest Room, at 90-40 160th Street, Jamaica, New York. The Harvest Room is near public transportation routes, including the LIRR , J, Z, and E subway lines, and several bus lines, and is located within a community with identified minority populations.

The meeting was held in an open house format, with project boards grouped into the following topics: project/study area; environmental review process; project overview; project purpose, needs, and objectives; concept screening/alternative analysis; and environmental considerations. The NYSDOT staff were available to answer questions, provide project information, and receive input. One area of the room was dedicated to providing written comments, with tables, chairs, comment cards, and a comment box. A stenographer was also available to record verbal comments. A Spanish-language interpreter was available, along with the NYSDOT’s language hotline service and language identification tool. The language hotline service and language identification tool assist people who do not speak and/or read English; meeting attendees identify the language that they speak and an interpreter is called to provide free language assistance.

A public information brochure was developed and made available at the scoping meeting. The brochure provided a general project overview and described the ways in which the public could provide comments. The brochure is available on the project website (https://www.dot.ny.gov/VWE/public- outreach) (see Section 5.3 [Project Website]).

1 The four Indic languages tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau are Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi, and Telugu.

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Figure 5-1. Meetings, Hearings, and Flyer Distribution for the Project

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The scoping meeting was advertised in Newsday, Chronicle, The Queens Tribune, and El Diario. In addition, meeting flyers were sent to and/or distributed at the following locations:

• Offices of Community Boards2 8, 9, 10, and 12 • Offices of elected officials, including the NY Assembly Districts 24, 27, and 31, State Senate Districts 10 and 14, Congress Districts 5 and 6, City Council Districts 24 and 29, and Queens Borough President • Festival • Briarwood, Central, Ozone Park, and Baisley Park Libraries • Post offices in Jamaica, Kew Gardens, and South Richmond Hill • (F train), Jamaica Center – Parsons Boulevard/Archer Avenue (E, J, Z trains), and /AirTrain Station • Parking lots at JFK Airport (cell phone lot and airport central taxi hold)

Flyers were also distributed to commercial establishments along major cross streets within the corridor that were identified to have commercial activity. Table 5-2 presents a listing of these locations.

Table 5-2: Commercial Flyer Distribution Liberty Avenue 109th Avenue . Starbucks . Guys and Dolls . Allen Deli Mini . BP Gas . JFK Deli . Planet Fitness Unisex Beauty Market Station . Unisex Beauty . Metro Drugs Salon . Flat Fixed Salon . Golden Lion Deli . Family Dollar . Deli & Grill . Arch Auto Parts . Metro PCS . Convenience . Metro PCS . Geo's Pizzeria Store . Laundromat . Pretty Beauty Salon . House Exterior . Autozone . FastRug Office . Gulf Gas Station . . Luxuria Flowers & Party B&S Lighting . Deli & Grill Favors . Gulf Gas Station . Sunshine Deli & . Walgreens . C-Town Grocery . Subway Supermarket . Mattress Store . iLoveKickboxing . Allstate Insurance . MediSys Richmond Hill . G’s Restaurant & Family Practice Center Bakery

The location of the scoping meeting provided access in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The public notices announcing the meeting provided instructions for requesting special accommodations.

A total of 66 people attended the scoping meeting, including community members, elected and government officials, representatives of nonprofit/community organizations, and property owners within or adjacent to the Study Area. Approximately 18 percent of these attendees submitted written

2 Community boards are appointed advisory groups that address land use, zoning and transportation issues, assess the needs of local neighborhoods, and address community concerns.

5-4 PIN X735.82 Van Wyck Expressway Capacity and Access Improvements to JFK Airport Project FDR/FEIS CHAPTER 5. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT or verbal comments. The comments received were considered and incorporated into the written record of the meeting and addressed in the Scoping Report.

5.1.2 Public Hearings

Two public hearings were held for the Project. The public hearings were held in locations that comply with the ADA, to provide access for individuals with disabilities. The public notices announcing the hearings provided instructions for requesting special accommodations, such as a sign-language interpreter. Advertisements for the public hearings were placed in New York Daily News, Newsday, Queens Chronicle, Queens Courier, Our Times, and El Diario. In addition, project team members distributed a total of 4,975 flyers to the following locations:

• Offices of Community Boards 6, 8, 9, 10, and 12 • Offices of elected officials, including the NY Assembly Districts 24, 27, and 31; State Senate Districts 10 and 14; Congressional Districts 5 and 6; City Council Districts 24 and 29; and the Queens Borough President • Briarwood, Central, Ozone Park, and Baisley Park Libraries • Post offices in Jamaica, Kew Gardens, and South Richmond Hill • Jamaica Hospital • Local businesses, community centers, and places of worship • Parsons Boulevard (F train), Jamaica Center – Parsons Boulevard/Archer Avenue (E, J, Z trains), and Jamaica bus terminal

Each hearing was held in an open house format that provided participants with the opportunity to review presentation boards and discuss the Project with NYSDOT representatives, who were available to provide project information and answer questions. The presentation boards displayed information on the meeting format, including how to provide comments; the NEPA process; the components of the Build Alternative; social, economic, and environmental considerations; and the Project cost and schedule. The hearings included a formal presentation and an opportunity to provide public oral testimony. A stenographer was also available to record private oral testimony. A Spanish-language interpreter was available at each hearing. Comment cards were available for attendees to submit comments and an informational brochure was provided. The presentation boards, brochure and formal presentation are available on the Project website (https://www.dot.ny.gov/vwe/public-outreach).

The public hearing on February 27, 2019 was held from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center, located at 172-17 Linden Boulevard, Jamaica, New York. A total of 15 attendees were present, including representatives of two elected officials. Three attendees provided private oral testimony and two comment cards were collected at this hearing.

The public hearing on February 28, 2019 was held from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The hearing was held at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, located at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, New York. A total of 7 attendees were present.

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5.1.3 Public Information Meeting

A public information meeting was held on March 25, 2019, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Radisson Hotel JFK Airport, located at 135-30 140th Street, Jamaica, New York. The meeting was held in a location that complies with the ADA. The public notices announcing the meeting provided instructions for requesting special accommodations. Advertisements for the meeting were placed in Newsday, Queens Chronicle, Queens Courier, El Diario, Queens Examiner, Jamaica Times, NY Post, Southeast Queens Press, and Queens Tribune. In addition, project team members distributed flyers during community board meetings and postcards were mailed to 770 addresses along the northbound and southbound service roads.

The public information meeting was held in an open house format. Participants were provided the opportunity to review presentation boards and discuss the Project with NYSDOT representatives who were available to provide project information and answer questions. The presentation boards displayed information on the meeting format, including how to provide comments; the NEPA process; the components of the Build Alternative; social, economic, and environmental considerations; and the Project cost and schedule. A formal presentation was also given. A stenographer was available to record private oral testimony. Comment cards were available for attendees to submit comments and an informational brochure was provided. The presentation boards, brochure and formal presentation are available on the Project website. A total of 31 attendees were present. Four attendees provided private oral testimony.

5.2 COMMUNITY BOARD MEETINGS

As part of the ongoing public outreach for the Project, the NYSDOT presented the Project at community board meetings, as listed in Table 5-3. Figure 5-1 presents the locations of these meetings. Community boards are local representative groups that consist of unsalaried members who are nominated by their district’s City Council members or are selected and appointed by the borough president. Responsibilities of the community boards include addressing land use, zoning and transportation issues, assessing the needs of local neighborhoods, and addressing community concerns. Community boards hold meetings monthly. Meetings are open to the public and provide an opportunity for community members to voice their opinions and concerns on community matters. The community board websites include information, such as calendars of upcoming events, board meeting agendas and minutes, and contact information for residents to submit comments on community issues.

The Study Area includes Community Boards 6, 8, 9, 10, and 12. The NYSDOT presentations at the meetings included an overview of the Project and described the Project’s purpose and objectives, the scope of work, conceptual design, and schedule. Following the NYSDOT presentations, comments and questions were received about the Project.

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Table 5-3: Community Board Meetings Meeting Location Date Description Community Board 10 Community Board 10 9/25/2017 The NYSDOT staff described the Transportation Committee 115-01 Lefferts Boulevard Project purpose, needs, and South Ozone Park, NY 11420 objectives and provided a general Community Board 9 Community Board 9 9/26/2017 project overview, including specific corridor constraints, concepts under Transportation Committee 120-55 # 310A consideration, and anticipated project Kew Gardens, NY 11424 benefits. Community Board 12 Community Board 12 10/10/2017 Transportation Committee 90-28 161st Street Jamaica, NY 11432 Community Board 10 Community Board 10 11/02/2017 115-01 Lefferts Boulevard South Ozone Park, NY 11420 Community Board 9 Community Board 9 5/29/2018 The NYSDOT staff updated the Transportation Committee 120-55 Queens Boulevard # 310A community members on the status of Kew Gardens, NY 11424 the Project and the progress of work Community Board 10 Community Board 10 6/4/2018 since the initial briefing. Proposed ramp and service road changes along Transportation Committee 115-01 Lefferts Boulevard the corridor, improvements on the South Ozone Park, NY 11420 traffic pattern on Atlantic Avenue and Community Board 12 Community Board 12 6/12/2018 133rd Avenue bridges over the Van Transportation Committee 9028 161st Street Wyck Expressway as well as the Jamaica, NY 11432 potential noise barriers were presented. Results of the traffic analysis performed that compares the existing, no-build and build conditions along the corridor were also presented.

5.3 PROJECT WEBSITE

The project website (https://www.dot.ny.gov/VWE) was established at the initiation of the scoping process to provide information about the Project. The website serves as a source of project information, including reports, maps, drawings, public outreach materials, and current project data. The site also functions as a continuous means for the public to submit comments. The website will continue to be updated to include announcements for public meetings and provide access to project documents.

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5.4 AVAILABILITY OF PROJECT REPORTS AND PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Scoping Report, the Draft Design Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DDR/DEIS), and this Final Design Report/Final Environmental Impact Statement (FDR/FEIS) and Record of Decision are available on the Project website. Table 5-4 lists the repositories for the DDR/DEIS and this FDR/FEIS. The availability of the DDR/DEIS for public review was advertised in the following publications: New York Daily News, Newsday, Queens Chronicle, Queens Courier, Our Times, and El Diario.

Table 5-4: Repositories for the DDR/DEIS and FDR/FEIS Queens Community Board Offices/ Borough Hall Libraries Community Centers Community Board 6 Queens Library at Briarwood Kew Gardens Community Center 104-01 85-12 8002 Kew Gardens Road # 202 Forest Hills, NY 11375 Briarwood, NY 11435 Jamaica, NY 11415 Community Board 8 Queens Central Library South Jamaica Houses Community Center 197-15 Hillside Avenue 89-11 Merrick Boulevard 10904 160th Street Hollis, NY 11423 Jamaica, NY 11432 Jamaica, NY 11433 Community Board 9 Queens Library at Richmond Hill St. Joseph Community Center 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 310-A 118-14 Hillside Avenue 108-30 Sutphin Boulevard Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Richmond Hill, NY 11418 Jamaica, NY 11435 Community Board 10 Queens Library – 115-01 Lefferts Boulevard Lefferts Branch South Ozone Park, NY 11420 103-34 Lefferts Boulevard Richmond Hill, NY 11419 Community Board 12 Queens Library at Ozone Park 90-28 161st Street 92-24 Rockaway Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11432 Ozone Park, NY 11417 Queens Borough Hall 120-55 Queens Boulevard Kew Gardens, NY 11424

A 30-day scoping comment period followed the public scoping meeting, and extended until November 30, 2017. Comments received during that period were considered and included and responded to in the Scoping Report (see Appendix E of the Scoping Report).

A 60-day public comment period followed the release of the DDR/DEIS to the public. The lead agencies extended the original 45-day public comment period to provide additional time for public outreach and public review of the DDR/DEIS. The public was provided opportunities to submit comments on the DDR/DEIS in several ways throughout the comment period. Written comments could be submitted via email, the project website, mail, and/or comment cards provided at the public hearings and information meeting. Opportunities to provide oral comments, either in public or in private through a stenographer, were available at the public hearings. A private stenographer was also available at the public information meeting. The comments received on the DDR/DEIS, and responses to substantive comments, are included in this FDR/FEIS (see Appendix V). The NYSDOT and FHWA have considered the comments received.

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5.5 MAILING LIST

A mailing list of contacts, including elected officials, public agency contacts, community boards, environmental justice advocacy groups (i.e., Association of Minority Enterprises and Indo-Caribbean Alliance) and interested parties and individuals, has been established. It has been and will continue to be used to issue meeting notices and other communications with the public.

5.6 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT DURING CONSTRUCTION

During construction of the Project, a centrally located, on-site project office will be established to accommodate drop-in visitors who have questions, comments, and/or concerns about ongoing and upcoming construction activities. The office will be staffed by at least one full-time person and open during standard work hours (i.e., 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or as needed. The office will be accessible to the public via transit and will be ADA compliant. Furthermore, scheduled construction status updates will be provided and coordination meetings with public and private entities, including, but not limited to, city agencies, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, MTA , Department of Environmental Protection, community boards, police/fire departments, hospitals, schools, libraries, large employers, mass transit providers, public utility carriers, and trucking/freight companies, will be held. A specific communication schedule and procedures for coordinating with local media to disseminate construction-related information will be developed. In addition, a community liaison and a rail transit liaison (during the construction of Contract 2) will be designated to provide open communication during construction of the Project.

5.7 CONTACT INFORMATION

For further information about the Project, please visit the project website (www.dot.ny.gov/vwe) or contact:

Van Wyck Expressway Project Team New York State Department of Transportation 47-40 21st Street Long Island City, NY 11101 [email protected]

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