Streets Will Be Taken Off The Grid For Atlantic Yards Project

image via the Atlantic Yards Report

To make room for the proposed Atlantic Yards project — which calls for a basketball arena and high-rise buildings at the nexus of Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Fort Greene — the state will permanently close several streets to traffic. According to NY1, starting on or around February 1, Pacific Street between both Vanderbilt and Carlton avenues and Fifth and Sixth avenues will be closed, as well Fifth Avenue between Flatbush and Atlantic avenues. But what will those closures mean for commuters and residents?

For one thing, they will lead to the elimination of the B63 bus stop on Fifth Avenue between Pacific Street and Atlantic Avenue. According to the Atlantic Yards Report, neighbors and folks who travel near the the site should "[e]xpect a lot more traffic on Sixth Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Pacific Street, which will become two-way." That is, of course, if the closures happen. While the project seems to be making headway since developer Bruce Ratner closed the deal on the project, sold $511 million in bonds before a deadline, and won a lawsuit over the use of eminent domain, opponents are still trying to halt it.

Dan Goldstein — who lives in the Atlantic Yards footprint and is facing eminent domain proceedings for his property — told the Brooklyn Paper that the state is acting too soon. "They're taking the streets prematurely," said Goldstein, who has reportedly started looking for a new place to live. "We'll be challenging that [street seizure], which is part of [the state’s use of] eminent domain."

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By Ben Muessig in News on January 12, 2010 2:20 PM

Comments [rss]

usernamee

this also sucks for anyone who wants to walk down 5th ave to get over to target or the atlantic pacific station. you now have to walk up or down a (long) block then back up or down a (long block) to bi-pass one closed block.

Emily

That bus stop being done away with is the closest B63 stop to the major subway lines/RR nexus at the Atlantic Terminal. So much for public transport linkage.

Darrell

Are they insane? You can't shut down Pacific Street and reroute traffic to 6th ave. It is a thin one way street. It cannot possibly handle all of the additional traffic in both directions, especially since this is now the only way that people from Atlantic Avenue can now access Flatbush Ave.

soundfreak

6th avenue, two way between Flatbush and Pacific, really? That's going to take some work and most likely it will be at night. Can I sue for sleep deprivation?

grandzu

Commuters and residents DO NOT MATTER!

Only fatcats and $$$ have influence.

Notice how Ratner's friend and owner of the Newswalk building gets the footprint of AY built around his moneymaker building?

Amazing that Ratner can build on land he does not own with the blessing of the state.

pal

also, shame on the judges who allowed this and the mayor of course.

Squard

How come no one puts an ounce of blame Jay Z? He's profiting from destroying his own city.

books

I always blame Jay-z. he's supposed to be the 'King of NY' whats he done for marcy now that he's rich?

Why doesnt he build a park in bed Stuy instead of trying to get richer by building crap on atlantic ave? Why? Cause he lives in Manhattan now.

and as Mr. nassir jones pointed out he's ' traded your soul for riches'...'f*ck jay-z'

books

Shame is the name.

to use the law to take someones property away and give it to Ratner so he can build luxary condos and bring a crappy basketball team to brooklyn? this is for the publics good. luxary condos? corporate sports? shame.

this area is a cluster f*ck of traffic as it is. Imagine what it'll be like when this is built.

bklyn been done did got screwed.