STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HUNTERS POINT PLAZA 47-40 21ST STREET LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. 11101 DOUGLAS A. CURREY, P.E. JOSEPH H. BOARDMAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR COMMISSIONER PHILLIP ENG, P.E. DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR March 25, 2004 Name Title Name of Newspaper Address Dear - On behalf of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), I am pleased to enclose a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding the Kosciuszko Bridge Project. As you may know, the Kosciuszko Bridge Project is a multi-year study to explore options for the rehabilitation or replacement of the bridge. Focusing on a 1.1-mile segment of the Brooklyn- Queens Expressway from Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn to the Long Island Expressway interchange in Queens, the project will be a major public works effort. For this reason, we are asking you to join NYSDOT in reaching out to the public with information about the project. The enclosed FAQs, which we encourage you to re-print in its entirety, will provide your readers with basic facts and contact information. Community outreach is the cornerstone of the Kosciuszko Bridge Project, and we would greatly appreciate any assistance you could provide. If you have any questions or would like further information, please do not hesitate to call me at (718) 482-4526 or Lisa Kuhner, Assistant Director, Regional Government and Public Affairs at (718) 482-4002. Thank you for your interest in this matter. This letter was sent to the following newsp apers: Sincerely, America Oggi Bushwick Obse rver Greenline: The North Brooklyn Community News Greenpoint Gazette Greenpoint Star/Queens Ledger Jennifer Nelson Greenp oint-Willia msburg Gazette Director Hoy-New York Edition Regional Government and Public Affairs Polish Daily News NYSDOT, Region 11 Queens Chronicle Times Newsweekly Williamsburg News STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HUNTERS POINT PLAZA 47-40 21ST STREET LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 DOUGLAS A. CURREY, P.E. JOSEPH H. BOARDMAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR COMMISSIONER PHILLIP ENG, P.E. DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR April 2004 Dear Greenpoint Resident: As a neighbor of the Kosciuszko Bridge, you may have heard about the proposed project to rehabilitate or replace the bridge and wondered how this will affect your home and community. On behalf of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), I am pleased to provide the attached list of “Frequently Asked Questions,” which may answer some of your initial questions. At this stage, there are twelve proposals (also known as alternatives) under consideration. These include a No Build (or “No Action”) alternative, 6 rehabilitation alternatives and 5 bridge replacement alternatives. This spring, several of these will be eliminated through a rigorous evaluation process. The remaining alternatives will be studied in detail in an Environmental Impact Statement. Please note that any rehabilitation or new bridge construction is at least five years away. In the meantime, NYSDOT is taking several steps to inform and involve as many local residents and businesspeople as possible. One of our most important efforts has involved the establishment of a Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC is composed of residents, business interests, elected officials and representatives of civic organizations and community boards. It has provided NYSDOT with vital information about community concerns and has been strong in supporting the protection of residential properties. We encourage you to attend SAC meetings, which are generally held on the third Thursday of each month at Jennings Hall, 260 Powers Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We would also welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your neighbors to provide a project update and to discuss your concerns. We hope that you find the enclosed information useful. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a meeting, please do not hesitate to contact me at (718) 482-4683 or Denise Woodin, Helen Neuhaus & Associates (the project’s public outreach consultant), at (212) 532-4175. Sincerely, Robert Adams, P.E. Project Manager NYSDOT - Region 11 PHONE: (718) 482-4683 FAX: (718) 482-6319 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.dot.state.ny.us/reg/r11/kosciuszko/kosciuszkohome.html STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HUNTERS POINT PLAZA 47-40 21ST STREET LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 DOUGLAS A. CURREY, P.E. JOSEPH H. BOARDMAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR COMMISSIONER PHILLIP ENG, P.E. DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR January 17, 2005 Dear Greenpoint Resident: The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is currently preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will study several options for the rehabilitation or replacement of the Kosciuszko Bridge. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a brief update on the project and the opportunity to add your name to the project mailing list in order to receive future updates. Last spring, NYSDOT, in partnership with the project’s Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAC), completed a 14-month Alternatives Analysis process. During this process, the original “Long List” of 26 alternatives was narrowed to a list of six, which include two alternatives that rehabilitate the existing bridge while building a new parallel bridge on one side of the existing structure; three alternatives that replace the existing bridge entirely; and a No Build (or No Action) alternative, which serves as a benchmark for comparison. The EIS will examine these alternatives in great detail, evaluating the impact of each on the environment; traffic and transportation; historic and cultural resources; local and regional economy; character and integrity of adjacent neighborhoods; and community facilities, to name just a few of the topics that will be studied. It is anticipated that the Draft EIS will be completed and circulated for agency and public review in the fall of 2005. Distribution of the document will be followed by an open comment period that will include public hearings in both Brooklyn and Queens. Please note that any construction is not expected to begin before 2010. Throughout the Kosciuszko Bridge Project, NYSDOT has shown its commitment to an open, proactive, and responsive community outreach program in a variety of ways—through the involvement of the SAC, a working group consisting of local residents, community groups, business owners, elected officials and regional transportation organizations; in frequent meetings with concerned stakeholders; and with the distribution of informational materials. We encourage you to join us in this exciting project as we move ahead. PHONE: (718) 482-4683 FAX: (718) 482-6319 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.dot.state.ny.us/reg/r11/kosciuszko/kosciuszkohome.html Please return the coupon below or contact us by e-mail, fax or telephone. Once we receive your name and address, we will add your name to the project mailing list and send a copy of our most recent newsletter. In the meantime, please visit our website at the address listed at the bottom of the first page to learn more about the Kosciuszko Bridge Project. We look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Robert L. Adams, P.E. Project Manager * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * □ Yes! I would like to stay informed about the Kosciuszko Bridge Project. Please add my name to the project mailing list. (Please print clearly) Name ______________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________ E-mail________________________________ Phone ________________________________ Send this coupon by mail to Helen Neuhaus & Associates, 460 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016 or by fax to (212) 532-7479. You may also request further information, a project briefing, or to be added to the mailing list by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or calling (212) 532-4175. STATE OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HUNTERS POINT PLAZA 47-40 21ST STREET LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 DOUGLAS A. CURREY, P.E. JOSEPH H. BOARDMAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR COMMISSIONER PHILLIP ENG, P.E. DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR January 2005 Dear Queens Resident: The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is currently preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will study several options for the rehabilitation or replacement of the Kosciuszko Bridge. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a brief update on the project and the opportunity to add your name to the project mailing list in order to receive future updates. Last spring, NYSDOT, in partnership with the project’s Stakeholders Advisory Committee (SAC), completed a 14-month Alternatives Analysis process. During this process, the original “Long List” of 26 alternatives was narrowed to a list of six, which include two alternatives that rehabilitate the existing bridge while building a new parallel bridge on one side of the existing structure; three alternatives that replace the existing bridge entirely; and a No Build (or No Action) alternative, which serves as a benchmark for comparison. The EIS will examine these alternatives in great detail, evaluating the impact of each on the environment; traffic and transportation; historic and cultural resources; local and regional economy; character and integrity of adjacent neighborhoods; and community facilities, to name just a few of the topics that will be studied. It is anticipated that the Draft EIS will be completed and