ADVOCACY

MIBA provides a collective voice in advocating on behalf of industrial businesses on a host of issues such as the availability of public transportation for employees, potential controls on open industrial uses, over-regulation and fines, access to high-speed broadband, the clean-up of Newtown Creek, recent changes to FEMA’s flood maps and the City’s building code, reconstruction of the Kosciusko Bridge, expansion of the IBZ, illegal conversions and the loss of industrial space to competing uses.

Maspeth IBZ Public Transportation Study

In response to concerns raised by local businesses about the quality of public transportation in the Maspeth industrial area, MIBA conducted a survey during the summer of 2013 to assess the transportation needs of employees and to determine the employers’ level of interest in supporting different types of transportation solutions. We will produce a final report, which based on the survey, will summarize the transit needs of the industrial community and identify specific transportation solutions for the area.

Installation of Bike Infrastructure in the Maspeth IBZ

As part of their Phase I plan, the Department of City Planning and the Department of Transportation are expected to install traffic-calming bike infrastructure on Onderdonk and Woodward Avenues in the Maspeth industrial area. MIBA has expressed a concern for biker safety and potential liability issues if there is an accident, particularly in their Phase II proposal which includes parts of Grand Avenue and Rust Street. For a map of Phase I and proposed Phase II routes, click here.