Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 7/4/22-7/8/22

 

Dear Community,

On Thursday, I sent a letter alongside Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas to the Chair and Chief Operations Officer of the MTA urging the agency to consider several immediate interim steps to achieve expanded access for bicycles and pedestrians. As the sponsor of the MTA Bike Access legislation (S4943B/A62325B), I am grateful for the initial steps the MTA has taken to develop a strategic plan for improving bicycle and pedestrian access– but in working towards allowing bicycle access on all MTA Bridges we can also increase accessibility now in both an efficient and cost-effective manner.

In the letter, we urge the MTA to allow bicycle access on pedestrian paths that can accommodate shared use, including on the Cross-Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge and Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (RFK Bridge). Cyclists already ride across these bridges despite the MTA’s prohibition– so I urge the agency to end its ban on cycling, and instead take steps to improve safety for all, including updated signage.

Our letter also asked the MTA to consider converting traffic lanes into bicycle paths, where possible. The New York City Department of Transportation has employed this strategy with great success on the Pulaski Bridge, and Brooklyn Bridge, which has a higher traffic volume relative to the number of vehicle lanes than several of the other MTA’s bridges. Such traffic lane conversions would allow the MTA to develop new high ridership cycling pathways with minimal traffic impact at a low cost. We suggest the Henry Hudson Bridge is especially well suited for this approach, but also hope the MTA will consider traffic lane conversion on all bridges.

By expanding bike access on bridges, we are promoting a clean method of transportation that does not leave a detrimental environmental footprint and allows us to advance towards our climate goals. District 34 is connected to two MTA bridges –– the Henry Hudson, and Throgs Neck Bridge –– so our community will benefit directly from bicycle and improved pedestrian access. The Bronx has long lacked proper infrastructure and transportation options, and this implementation will help ensure that our community is able to improve its public transportation. I look forward to the implementation of these interim steps to improve accessibility and sustainability in our community. Read the full letter here. 

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi

Permits Filed For 652 East 223rd Street In Wakefield, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed to expand a two-story structure into a five-story residential building at 652 East 223rd Street in Wakefield, The Bronx. Located between White Plains Road and Carpenter Avenue, the lot is two blocks south of the 225th Street subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Yitzi Salamon is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 55-foot-tall development will yield 6,865 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 18 residences, with an average unit scope of 381 square feet. The steel-based structure will also have a cellar, penthouse, a 30-foot-long rear yard, and eight open parking spaces.

Alfred Mierzejewski of Al Fred Architecture is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - JULY 8, 2022

 

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

11 Statewide Deaths Reported

 NOTE: Beginning June 24, 2022, the Vaccine data will be updated weekly on Fridays to align with CDC's updated data refresh schedule. For additional information on COVID-19 Vaccination Data provided by CDC, see https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total.

NOTE: Updates to the CDC's cumulative death data files are being delayed, as the CDC upgrades its system. Any questions about this should be directed to the CDC. During this time, total deaths and new daily deaths reported through HERDS will continue as normal.

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"As we continue to monitor the numbers, I encourage all New Yorkers to keep using the tools we know that work to protect against and treat COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "Stay up to date on your vaccine and booster doses. If you're a parent or guardian, talk to your pediatrician about getting your children vaccinated. Stay home if you feel sick and if you do test positive, talk to your doctor about the best treatment options for you."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Cases Per 100k - 39.35
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 28.99
• Test Results Reported - 78,726
• Total Positive - 7,689
• Percent Positive - 9.20%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 8.89%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,253 (-2)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 411
• Patients in ICU - 222 (+13)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 79 (-1)
• Total Discharges - 318,054 (+393)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 11
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,664

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 72,218

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

NOTE: Vaccine data is now updated weekly on Fridays to align with CDC's updated data refresh schedule. For additional information on COVID-19 Vaccination Data provided by CDC, see https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 39,440,532
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 14,447
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 80,247
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.9%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 84.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.9%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 84.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 74.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.8%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 91.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.9%

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:

Borough	Tuesday, July 5, 2022	Wednesday, July 6, 2022	Thursday, July 7, 2022
Bronx	9.27%	9.53%	9.43%
Kings	8.31%	8.54%	8.81%
New York	8.61%	8.81%	9.08%
Queens	10.44%	10.60%	10.55%
Richmond	9.42%	9.79%	9.92%