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Anyone who has attempted to walk or bike from one side of Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza to another knows that it can be a difficult journey, through which a constantly swiveling head is required to keep an eye on traffic coming from seemingly every direction. The above overhead image shows just a portion of the plaza where five different roads converge in an inner traffic loop, including Eastern Parkway and Prospect Park West, and the entire site is bisected by Flatbush Ave. It's also a destination for pedestrians and cyclists. Aside from the plaza's Memorial Arch and Bailey Fountain, Grand Army Plaza is the northwest entrance to Prospect Park, hosts a weekend greenmarket, and is the location of the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
Streetsblog had a post last week on the Dept. of Transportation's plan (PDF) to add crosswalks, eliminate a traffic lane while adding a bike lane, and increase landscaping at the plaza. There's an embedded version of the DOT's slide presentation for the project in the Streetsblog post. While Grand Army Plaza is an iconic location where traffic and pedestrians merge, we hope the DOT will pay similar attention to other dangerous locations around the city.
Transportation Alternatives has a list of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians in New York City. Brooklyn's most dangerous intersection is not far from Grand Army Plaze, at Utica Ave. and Eastern Parkway, where 4 people were killed and 88 injured between 1995 and 2001. One hundred eighteen injuries were reported at Manhattan's Park Ave. and 33rd St. during the same time period, but no fatalities. In recent years, it seems like the Grand Concourse in the Bronx and Queens Boulevard are the most dangerous roadways for pedestrians to cross. Any suggestions of dangerous intersections for pedestrians to avoid, or at least raise their alertness when crossing?
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The intersection of Parkside Avenue and Ocean Ave, next to Prospect Park. Totally frightening.
Yet another bad idea by the DOT who lately seem to think that this city is decreasing in population instead of increasing. I hope every like the sounds of car horns and the smell of car exhaust because this is what you are going to get when the DOT decreases the amount of vehicular lanes.
Folks, traffic is only going to get owrse. You are not going to get someone to switch to riding a bicycle or take mass transit just by making their driving experience horrible.
As for the bike lane, well that is another waste of money. No one uses the Plaza Street bike lane because it is faster to use Flatbush Ave! It's really quite simple.
I like the idea of more medians, but not at the decease of vehicle lanes. Has anyone ebver seen when GAP gets backed up? It's a nightmare! And Flatbush ave going into Manhattan is especially horrendous right near the public library! You are just going to get angrier drivers and I will bet that the "accident experiences" which seems to have gone down lately, will go up.
I am amazed that the DOT calls making three lanes of traffic into two "Traffic Calming" This will do anything BUT make the traffic calm! It will enrage people, especially when one lane breaks down.
Do you actually think that this "traffic calming" works? I'd think it would make people drive more aggresively and be more pissed off. But hey, the DOT seem to think they know what they are doing as they atre doing this throughout Brooklyn. The thing is, they go out and mark up the street with this lane and that and then those markings disapear they don't have enough time or money to go remark the raods! How many bike lanes and other sgtreet markings are basically not visible because they are worn out! Plenty! If you don't see it, then you obviosly don't drive.
And then you are asking a corrupt NYPD to actually enforce the laws.
Good luck!
I think Reality Czech has been huffing too much car exhaust recently.
Re: roadways - If you don't build it, they won't come. Less roads equals less cars.
the new design is as crappy looking as the powerpoint - both clearly created by engineers without any design sense
at least DOT could have hired a urban designer who has seen a "plaza" in other cities around the world
has the engineer who designed this monstrosity even been out of the 5 boros before?
oh man look at that intersection. what is wrong with new york? you know, the rest of the country, if the city can get its head out of its ass, has much, much better ways with dealing with traffic.
i am so sick of that city and i don't even live in it.
Reality Czech, you just don't understand. It's time to take the city back from the cars. Thank god the mayor understand that. Congestion pricing will be a great boon for Brooklyn, and most especially for Flatbush, Atlantic, and 4th Avenues. We will see a beautiful drop in traffic volume that will make our borough a much better place to live.
Really, The intersections aren't the problem ! It's the signal pattern that's cause for alarm . The design is difficult and all but it's suppose to be ! Just lengthen to time for peds. too cross and everything will be fine . It's a tourist destination and people are going too visit so the chance for an incident multiplies .
I thought it was the mission of DoT to move traffic through the City in a safe and timely manner. From my recent excursions through Brooklyn of late they apparently have discarded this. It's worth looking into this with the new commissioner(whoever).
I use this traffic area infrequently but I know it. It is my alternate route to JFK or LI(up 4th, right on Union, up Eastern Pkwy to Bushwick and the JR Pkwy, etc.). I may be joined soon by others when any main routes east prove inadequate(BQE work, Atlantic Yards).
I see potential for more bang-up's in this GAP plan. The feeder routes(Flatbush, Eastern) are for timely movement of traffic across Brooklyn. That fact cannot be forgotten for a minute. Introducing foot and bike traffic is what is proposed here and it will not be beneficial. I remember my own experience: walking from the subway to the library and riding around GAP. Unnerving at best. Better to stick to the sidewalk and to the 'ring-road'(Plaza Street)-much surer.
Remember please that this City is a marketplace and a work location. Vehicle traffic is essential and congestion is the enemy. Any more congestion, even by unwise planning, cannot help.
Tom - you thought wrong. The mission of DOT, as quoted from their website, is "to provide for the safe, efficient and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York". (www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/dotdoes.html)
Where in there do you see anything about moving traffic specifically, or giving vehicular traffic any priority?