B63 bus to be rerouted as Fifth Avenue segment closes in May

According to a notice and letter posted by Brooklyn Community Board 6, New York City Transit (NYCT) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) intend to revise service on the northbound B63 bus route on May 27, in response to the demapping of Fifth Avenue between Flatbush and Atlantic avenues for the Atlantic Yards project.

Given that several cases affecting and potentially blocking the project remain in court, and will not be resolved by the end of the May, I asked NYCT and DOT why the changes are being made in May rather than later. Also, I asked whether any consideration was made to the possibility that the project could be further delayed and/or blocked. (I didn't hear back yesterday.)

Moving too fast?

After all, Forest City Ratner can always sell the property it owns or build on sites where it has demolished buildings. But if Fifth Avenue is not closed because the developer does not build the project, well, maybe NYCT and DOT would want to restore the original route

After all, as District Manager Craig Hammerman stated in a letter to community members yesterday, "Had there been an opportunity to discuss this with either agency, I'm confident that someone would have pointed out that by eliminating the only B63 bus stop on the eastside of Flatbush Avenue they would now require all northbound B63 riders to have to cross Flatbush Avenue to get to the Atlantic Center, Atlantic Terminal, future Atlantic Yards, and any other destinations on the eastside of Flatbush Avenue."

According to a report by Bob Guskind of The Gowanus Lounge, "There was jeering at the [CB 6] meeting [Wednesday] about the announcement, as New York City Transit had not consulted with anyone at the community level, other than to deliver a notice of the service revision."