Readers Write: Community Urges Pause on Construction Projects During Busy High Holiday Season

To whichever this may concern,

We are now in the middle of the High Holidays, one of the busiest months for the Jewish community in Williamsburg. The city is well aware of this, as numerous meetings have been held to discuss the various safety precautions and assistance that is provided during this time. 

However, one important aspect seems to be ignored every year, even though many residents have spoken up about it. 

Multiple construction projects have popped up over the last few weeks, causing congestion and heavy traffic in the entire neighborhood. The traffic, which is usually already a problem on a regular day, is now exacerbated not only by local residents preparing for the holidays, but also by numerous street closures, detours, and construction vehicles. 

These projects, many of which are not urgent and should be able to be postponed, often start without prior notice. We are not asked when we prefer for our streets to be taken over by construction projects, nor are we notified when to expect it or given detailed reports of which streets will be closed and for how long.

On behalf of the community, I ask if you can consider pausing some of the ongoing projects and allow us to prepare for our holidays without additional stress and inconvenience. 

Thank you