[passcoalition] Re: Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street

  • From: Karen Gourgey <karen.gourgey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "'passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 15:58:47 +0000

Pratik,

Can we use the conference facility we used earlier?

Karen


Karen Luxton Gourgey Ed.D., Director
Computer Center for Visually Impaired People
Baruch College, City University of New York
One Bernard Baruch Way, Box H-0648
New York, NY 10010
Phone: (646) 312-1426
Fax: (646) 312-1421
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/ccvip/
From: passcoalition-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:passcoalition-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jacobsen
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 11:35 AM
To: passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street

In an effort to not be redundant, I will simply say Amen to Pratik.  I think 
it's time to get together again via phone to strategize.
Carl
----- Original Message -----
From: Pratik Patel<mailto:pratikp1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 11:54 PM
Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street

Hello all,

I believe Annalyn's questions and her sense of anger captures my sense on this 
issue as well. It may be time that we do something other than "talk" with Mat's 
office and the DOT.

Regards,

Pratik


From: 
passcoalition-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:passcoalition-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
[mailto:passcoalition-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Annalyn
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 11:41 PM
To: passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street

I am sorry to be responding so late.  I had a night lesson.

As a Visions staff member I will try to remember and relate the events.  I 
originally learned about the DOT plans for "safety improvements" for 7th and 
23rd when Ken mentioned it on this list.  A DOT person had sent an email, on 
the day of the community board meeting, to a Visions case manager at Selis 
Manor.  This case manager often arranges speakers for the Senior Speak Out 
program and I believe, but do not know for certain, that this is how she came 
to receive the email from DOT.  This past Monday, Colleen Chattergoon of DOT  
again emailed the same case manager to let her know work will begin on April 11 
and when it's completed she will call to set up a meeting.  Colleen's email 
does not reveal her title but it seems she is a DOT Education person who will 
arrange for an educational meeting once the work is complete. Colleen's email 
was forwarded to Nancy Miller who told her to stop contacting Visions staff.  
Nancy gave Karen's name as the PASS representative and Joyce Carrico as the 
president of the Selis Tenants Association.  Nancy also cc'd Mike Godino, Gene, 
Matt Sapolin and a few others.

It's pretty infuriating that DOT thinks all they have to do is give a warning 
about the work being done and stop by when it's complete for an informational 
meeting.

Gene has spent time preparing a well documented presentation regarding the need 
for adaptations to intersections.  This has been shared with the powers that be 
along with the question "How do we become part of the process?"  I think it is 
time to change the question to "Why isn't the law being followed?  The need has 
been demonstrated by Gene's survey and the list of APS requests.  PASS has 
defined the problem, presented the solution and suggested specialists like 
Janet Barlow be hired to provide the type of education needed.  I also think 
it's time to give up on getting help from Matt Sapolin's office.  We would like 
a cooperative relationship but it isn't happening.  It's time to decide who at 
DOT should receive a call on Friday morning.  Has anyone talked to Margaret 
Newman this week?  How much longer do we want to wait to be invited to the 
table?  What kind of public action are we prepared to take?

Annalyn



-----Original Message-----
From: Gene Bourquin DHA <oandmhk@xxxxxxx>
To: PASS listserv <passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thu, Apr 7, 2011 10:15 pm
Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street
Ray, I think your analogy is apt.

I believe that folks at Visions have now spoken to the DOT education person and 
that channel of communication has stopped.  But the waiter is still not talking 
to us, but has promised to send a note to our table.

Check please!

Gene

Dr. Eugene A Bourquin
_____________________________
DHA, COMS, CI & CT, CLVT


Support deafblind children in Guatemala!
Go to www.FRIENDSofFUNDAL.org<http://www.friendsoffundal.org/>

Visit: http://www.bourquinconsulting.com/




> From: rwayne1@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:rwayne1@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [passcoalition] Re: Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street
> Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2011 22:10:21 -0400
>
> Am I understanding this correctly? We, the PASS Coalition, are communicating 
> with DOT, and they are talking to Visions, only. I mean no disrespect to 
> Visions, but I feel as though I am in a restaurant, and the server is asking 
> my sighted companion how I want my steak cooked.
>
> If I have misunderstood this, someone please explain it to me! Thanks.
>
> Ray
> PS: Medium rare.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Karen Gourgey" <kgourgey@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:kgourgey@xxxxxxxxxxx>>
> To: unknown <passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:passcoalition@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
> Date: Thursday, Apr 7, 2011 8:30:10
> Subject: [passcoalition] Update, 7th Ave and 23rd Street
>
> >
> >
> > Hello to All,
> >
> >
> >
> > As you might remember, soon after our December meeting with DOT, we received
> > the Department's plan for "safety improvements" at the intersection at 7th
> > avenue and 23rd street. We immediately sent comments to Matt, (as he had
> > requested,) requesting some accommodations, including warning strips to mark
> > the island in the middle of 7th avenue, and APS's placed on the island, as
> > well. We also had questions regarding something billed as a "transit plaza"
> > on the south side of the intersection. We were assured that our concerns
> > would be communicated to DOT. Late last week, DOT wrote to Visions telling
> > them that work was going to begin on April 11 and attaching the plan, which
> > was precisely the one to which we had urged additions. Nothing of our
> > recommendations appeared in the plan. We wrote to DOT expressing "grave
> > concern, and they wrote to Visions claiming thaqt they were "preparing a
> > written response" to our recommendations."
> >
> >
> >
> > So, we have a situation, where PASS is not being addressed as a player, and
> > a good possibility that work is going to begin without our recommendations
> > being taken into account. We had hoped to use this as a test case. If we
> > don't get some kind of assurance that our safety concerns are being
> > addressed, I think we need to do something public.
> >
> >
> >
> > I hope that Joyce, Gene and Annalyn will jump in to clarify anything I may
> > have missed in trying to summarize the situation.
> >
> >
> >
> > Meanwhile, Lester, I think we can go ahead and submit the APS request list
> > to Matt as requested.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Karen
> >
> > Hello to All,
> >
> > As you might remember, soon after our December meeting with DOT, we 
> > received the Department's plan for "safety improvements" at the 
> > intersection at 7th avenue and 23rd street. We immediately sent comments to 
> > Matt, (as he had requested,) requesting some accommodations, including 
> > warning strips to mark the island in the middle of 7th avenue, and APS's 
> > placed on the island, as well. We also had questions regarding something 
> > billed as a "transit plaza" on the south side of the intersection. We were 
> > assured that our concerns would be communicated to DOT. Late last week, DOT 
> > wrote to Visions telling them that work was going to begin on April 11 and 
> > attaching the plan, which was precisely the one to which we had urged 
> > additions. Nothing of our recommendations appeared in the plan. We wrote to 
> > DOT expressing "grave concern, and they wrote to Visions claiming thaqt 
> > they were "preparing a written response" to our recommendations."
> >
> > So, we have a situation, where PASS is not being addressed as a player, and 
> > a good possibility that work is going to begin without our recommendations 
> > being taken into account. We had hoped to use this as a test case. If we 
> > don't get some kind of assurance that our safety concerns are being 
> > addressed, I think we need to do something public.
> >
> > I hope that Joyce, Gene and Annalyn will jump in to clarify anything I may 
> > have missed in trying to summarize the situation.
> >
> > Meanwhile, Lester, I think we can go ahead and submit the APS request list 
> > to Matt as requested.
> >
> >
> > Karen
> >
>

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