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Bed-Stuy Slow Zone Advocates Launch Social Media Campaign

 The city approved a slow zone for the Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill border.
The city approved a slow zone for the Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill border.
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Department of Transportation

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Advocates for a slow zone in Bed-Stuy have launched a social media campaign pushing for the plan's approval at next week's Community Board 3 meeting.

The Neighbors for the Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy Slow Zone are trying to rally support for a proposal they describe as "sensible planning" in the community.

"Our vibrant, friendly, diverse neighborhood represents the best of what Brooklyn is," read a post from the group's online petition.

"It deserves to be part of the future of sensible planning. It deserves a Slow Zone."

The petition was created by Elizabeth Giddens, a member of the Brooklyn Waldorf School's parent association — one of the groups who helped apply for the slow zone.

Supporters also launched a website, a Facebook page and a Twitter account.

The slow zone would lower speed limits from 30 mph to 20 mph and add traffic-calming measures like speed humps to streets within the slow zone.

Community Board 3 voted in March to reject the city's slow zone proposal after a 45-minute presentation board members said did not sufficiently answer their questions.

Community Board 2, which represents the section of the slow zone in Clinton Hill, voted to approve the plan on Feb. 12.

It will be brought to CB3 again on Monday.

In addition to raising awareness about the slow zone — which is bordered by Washington Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, Bedford Avenue and Fulton Street — the group is asking for supporters to reach out to local elected officials.

They include central Brooklyn Councilman Robert Cornegy, who the group said is "inclined to support us, but because he doesn't want to go against CB3, he won't do so officially unless he gets a fair amount of community input."

Cornegy, a former member of CB3, said the board was taking everyone's well-being into account and was sure an agreement could be reached if all sides worked together.

"As a parent who walks his children to school each morning, I support the goals of the slow zone and Vision Zero," Cornegy said. "And I look forward to hearing the full range of opinions at the upcoming CB3 meeting.”