Category Archives: Public Space

DOT Completes Park Avenue Safety Enhancements

Park Ave Lane Rationalization

After years of advocacy work by MARP, NYC DOT completed its own safety plan for Brooklyn’s Park Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Following the release of MARP’s Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Plan, DOT released its official plan to improve safety.  Last month, DOT began to implement that plan with the installation of bollards along select parking area exits to reduce conflicts with pedestrians.  Over the past two weeks, DOT completed the plan, including the:

  • “Rationalization” of eastbound Park Avenue from two lanes to one to reduce speed and calm traffic (pictured above)
  • Reconfiguration of the awkward 3-to-2 merge where westbound Williamsburg Street turns into westbound Park Avenue
  • Re-timing of traffic lights along Park Avenue to give pedestrians more (north-south) crossing time (pictured below)

Pedestrian Crossing Time Slide from DOT

The above changes follow previous improvements, also completed by DOT:

In addition to MARP, many groups played a part in this victory for street safety. We would like to thank Architecture for Humanity, Pratt Institute, the Design Trust for Public Space, the Park Avenue Safety Advisory Committee, Greene Hill School, Brooklyn Community Board Two, and the 1,100 people who signed our petition. This work would not have been possible without strong community support.

Of course, there is still more to do to help make Park Avenue safer. We will continue to advocate for additional safety enhancements that require capital funds, such as reconfiguring the “Crossover” at Grand Avenue and repairing the areas under the elevated BQE.

Park Ave Changes in Process

DOT Preps Park Ave changes

DOT is in the process of implementing safety enhancements to Brooklyn’s Park Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.  As you can see in the above photo, DOT has painted temporary lane markings that will “rationalize” eastbound traffic from two lanes to one.  These will be painted with permanent lines shortly.  Eastbound traffic volumes are low and the previous configuration encouraged speeding, a leading cause of crashes.

Westbound Park Avenue will retain two lanes because traffic volumes are high enough to warrant that.  However, the merge from Williamsburg Street into westbound Park Avenue will get improved lane markings.  DOT already implemented safety measures under the BQE last month.

These changes are based on recommendation made in the Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Plan, published by MARP in 2012 after several years of community engagement.

 

New Citywide Speed Limit

Vision Zero 25 days to 25MPH Postcard_Page_2

Effective November 7th, 2014, the default New York City speed limit will be reduced from 30 MPH to 25 MPH.

According to NYC DOT, drivers who drive 25 MPH or slower are better able to avoid crashes.  Pedestrians who are struck by vehicles traveling at 25 MPH are half as likely to die as pedestrians who are struck by vehicles at 30 MPH.

This change will improve traffic safety throughout the entire city, including Brooklyn’s Park Avenue, where DOT is making safety improvements after years of advocacy from MARP.

DOT Starts to Implement Park Ave Safety Upgrades

Park Ave Bollards

NYC DOT has begun to implement its Park Avenue Corridor Safety Improvements.  Changes include: reducing eastbound travel lanes from two to one to calm traffic, simplifying access to the parking areas under the BQE to reduce conflicts, and improving lane designations on the westbound approach at Ryerson to eliminate the dangerous 3 to 2 merge.  Parking spaces and parking regulations under the BQE will not be impacted.

These changes are a direct result of our Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Plan, published after years of advocacy by MARP . We produced the Safety Plan in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity, building upon ideas gathered at community workshops, input from an Advisory Committee of local stakeholders, and guidance from DOT.  Over 1,000 people signed a petition in support of the plan.  This work was supported by the Brooklyn Community Foundation and the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

Statistically, Park Avenue is a “high crash corridor” (top third in crashes) where up to 75% of drivers exceed the speed limit.  Therefore, these changes signify a great step forward for Park Avenue, especially its residents and visitors, which include a large number of school-aged children. There is much more to be done, and we will continue to advocate for additional Park Avenue safety improvements and upgrades to the areas under the BQE.

DOT’s official “What’s Happening Here” flyer is below.

Park Avenue-Brooklyn WHH v01

 

Tree Watering Season on Myrtle Avenue

Tree Gator

With the heat of summer upon us, now is the time to think about watering Myrtle Avenue’s young trees.  This year, we’ve installed 24 slow-release irrigation bags (commonly known by the brand name Tree Gators) to young trees on and off Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Once or twice a week, The Doe Fund uses a watering truck to fill each gator with 15 gallons water.  The water slowly drips into the tree bed, ensuring that it reaches deep into the soil.  This provides much-needed water and encourages good root development in young trees.

Tree watering work is managed by the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District, with support from ConEdison and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Arborrain gator

Another brand of irrigation system that we are testing

NYPD Registers Bicycles on Myrtle Ave

Bike Registration Event 2014-05-29 (8)
Last week, the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership and New York Police Department’s 88th Precinct joined forces on Vanderbilt Avenue at Myrtle Avenue to register bicycles.  NYPD registered 43 bikes during the morning commute.  One of Myrtle Avenue’s newest businesses, Myrtle Bagel, generously donated delicious coffee and fresh bagels.  By all accounts, the event was successful and the mood festive.

If a registered bike is stolen and then recovered by NYPD, the police can more easily return it to its rightful owner.  Registration itself involves filling out a form with bike details and serial number.  If the bike doesn’t have a serial number, NYPD Crime Prevention Officers can etch one.  If you would like to have your bike registered, simply visit the 88th Precinct at 298 Classon at Dekalb.  It’s FREE!

 Myrtle Bagel is located at 410 Myrtle Avenue, between Vanderbilt and Clinton Avenues

 

Pratt and middle school students create designs for under the BQE

For this semester’s Reclaim Works project,  Pratt students worked with middle school students and the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project to focus on safety throughout a specific stretch of urban space under the BQE where Park and Grand Avenues meet in the Wallabout neighborhood.  Through examinations of place, community, and conversations, they all learned to design for a better quality of life.  The middle school students were the designers and the Pratt students guided them through the design process.

Check out the designs! View the student’s innovative concepts by clicking the pdf above, and vote for the one you think would have the most impact on safety here!

Reclaim Works began as an interdisciplinary course offered through Pratt Institute’s Art & Design Education department. Through a partnership with Citizen Schools and the Urban Assembly Unison School the course ran as a program to support a youth design initiative investigating real neighborhood issues through participatory planning improvement projects.  The goal of the project became two-fold, empowering local youth and giving graduate Pratt Institute students the opportunity to see how their skills in art and design can be used for positive community development.

DOT Proposes Safety Changes for Park Avenue

Park Ave Title Slide from DOT

Following years of advocacy and community organizing by the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project (MARP), the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) presented plans to improve traffic safety on Brooklyn’s Park Avenue between Navy Street and Flushing Avenue.  DOT officials unveiled their plan at the Transportation Committee meeting for Brooklyn Community Board 2 on Tuesday May 20, 2014 and the committee voted unanimously to support the proposed plans. Implementation is expected to occur in the fall of this year.

In 2012, MARP and Architecture for Humanity (AFH) released the Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Plan, a set of proposals to improve pedestrian safety and calm vehicular traffic on Brooklyn’s Park Avenue between Navy and Steuben Streets.  The recommendations in the plan were developed over several years using information gathered at six public meetings, site surveys, and research.  There was also guidance from Community Board 2 and an Advisory Committee made up of representatives from local block associations, tenants associations, residential developments, community-based organizations, and city agencies, including DOT.  After the release of the report, MARP started a petition to enable a larger cross-section of the community to show their support for this plan.  Over 1,100 people signed.

DOT’s proposals include the following safety enhancements:

  • Reduce eastbound Park Avenue from two lanes to one lane, which will lower speeds and reduce merging conflicts.  Eastbound traffic volume is significantly lower than westbound and can therefore be accommodated by one travel lane.  This proposal was adapted from MARP’s plan.
  • Add stop signs to the exits of the parking areas under the BQE to reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.  This proposal was taken directly from MARP’s plan.
  • Add bollards to select parking entrances, which will eliminate vehicle-pedestrian conflicts at those locations.  All parking areas will remain accessible by at least one entrance.  This proposal was adapted from MARP’s plan.
  • Reduce westbound Williamsburg Street from two lanes to one, which will reduce merging conflicts after Williamsburg Street turns into westbound Park Avenue.
  • Prior to this proposal, DOT implemented two minor safety improvements suggested by MARP and AFH.  DOT added 9 street lights along Park Avenue and added “daylighting” regulations to 7 locations.  Both improved visibility for drivers and pedestrians.

Stay tuned for more information about the implementation of these safety upgrades.

Officials Discuss Vision Zero

Image Credit: NYC.gov

Image Credit: NYC.gov

Over the past week, Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams each hosted Vision Zero Town Hall meetings in Brooklyn.  The At each meeting, officials from the New York City Department of Transportation, Taxi and Limousine Commission, and the Police Department provided details about how each agency will be working eliminate traffic fatalities on the streets of New York.  Members of the public were also given an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

From the Vision Zero Website:

“This status quo is unacceptable. The City of New York must no longer regard traffic crashes as mere “accidents,” but rather as preventable incidents that can be systematically addressed. No level of fatality on city streets is inevitable or acceptable. This Vision Zero Action Plan is the City’s foundation for ending traffic deaths and injuries on our streets.”

What does this mean for Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Wallabout?  We are optimistic that DOT will use recommendations from our Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Plan to propose safety improvements to Park Avenue between Navy and Steuben Streets.  We can also look forward to the safety features of Myrtle Avenue Plaza, including curb extensions and a reconfiguration of the service road entrance.

To see details about upcoming Vision Zero events, click here.

 

Winter Tree Pruning on Myrtle Ave

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

After a slow start, our winter street tree pruning is well underway on Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Every winter and summer, certified Citizen Pruner Partnership staff check all 270 street trees within the boundaries of the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn BID.  Using professional tools (see bottom of page), we prune low and dead branches, properly shape growing trees, and clear foliage away from signs and lights, up to 15 high off the sidewalk.  So far this winter, we’ve pruned 36 trees.  Since 2011, we’ve pruned over 200 trees.

Winter is actually a great time to prune.  The lack of foliage allows for better visibility into the tree canopy.  And less foliage means less post-pruning clean-up.  Winter pruning tends to focus on tree structure whereas summer pruning tends to focus on clearing foliage from signs and lights.  Besides the semi-annual district-wide sweeps, we also prune damaged trees throughout the year, as needed.  Trees on commercial streets like Myrtle Avenue are more susceptible to damage from trucks and buses.

This season was special.  The New York City Parks Department (which has jurisdiction over street trees) performed professional “block pruning” on Myrtle Avenue street trees, from Flatbush to Clermont.  This only happens every 10 years or so.  Professionals have better equipment and can reach the top of the biggest trees.  The section of Myrtle east of Clermont is scheduled to be block pruned next year.

Street tree pruning is part of our Street Beautification program.

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

Tools of the Trade: Telescoping Pruning Saw Pruning Shears

Vision Zero & Park Ave Ped Safety

Image Credit: City of New York

Image Credit: City of New York

Yesterday, Mayor de Blasio released the Vision Zero Action Plan, a strategic plan to eliminate all traffic-related deaths in New York City.  This is great news for all New Yorkers.  But what does it mean for the Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Project?

Let’s take a look:

  • The Mayor’s plan recommends reducing the citywide speed limit to 25 mph (which will require cooperation from Albany).  We know that speeding is rampant on Park Ave: as much as 74% of drivers speed.  And we know that speeding is the leading cause of injury and death.
  • NYPD is called on to improve speeding-detection equipment and increase enforcement.  We’ve been in touch with the 88th Precinct.  They know that speeding is a problem on Park Ave and have already stepped up enforcement.
  • The action plan reiterates the Mayor’s call for DOT to “implement safety engineering improvements to 50 intersections and corridors.”  The plan also says DOT will create “25 new arterial slow zones.”  It’s unclear where Park Avenue fits in here.  However, we’re hopeful that DOT will use the work that we’ve done and propose changes to Park Ave.
  • The action plan says that DOT will “conduct extensive community outreach” for major safety projects.  We have already done outreach and are available to assist DOT when the time comes.

Most importantly, the Mayor clearly says that all traffic-related fatalities are unacceptable and preventable.  We look forward to continuing to work with DOT and NYPD to improve traffic safety on Park Avenue and all of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Park Ave Gets New Street Lights

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

The New York City Department of Transportation installed 9 new street lights along Park Avenue in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and Wallabout, Brooklyn.  This was a direct result of the research and advocacy efforts of our Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Project.

Four street lights are completely brand new installations:

  • North Portland, just south of Park Ave
  • Carlton, just south of Park Ave
  • Adelphi, just north of Park Ave
  • Park Ave, just west of Steuben

Four street light arms were added to existing lamp posts:

  • Park Ave at Carlton
  • Park Ave at Clinton
  • Park Ave at Ryerson (pictured above)
  • Park Ave at Grand

The ninth new light, on Washington at Park Ave, was added to an existing traffic light.

New Street Banners on Myrtle Avenue

Street Banners

27 new banners now grace Myrtle Avenue’s historic streetlights, from Flatbush Extension to Classon Avenue.  These banners are the newest addition to our award-winning “Home Grown & Locally Owned” campaign.

Each banner features an image of the neighborhood assets.  Each banner also contains the name of the business or organization that sponsored the banner.  Sponsorships last for one year and help offset the costs of our many programs.

If you would like more information about sponsoring a banner, please contact Rebeca Ramirez at 718-230-1689 or rebeca@myrtleavenue.org.

Silent Lights Installation Comes to Fort Greene Under the BQE

Silent Lights Fort Greene

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

Silent Lights will be unveiled on Wednesday, December 18th at 4:30pm
Park Avenue and Navy Street, Under the BQE
Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Silent Lights is a series of sculptural gates that line a pedestrian pathway under the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The gates are embedded with light and sound equipment: 2,400 LEDs and a microphone, controlled by an arduino mega microcontroller. The installation uses these to respond to sounds from the street and transform it into beautiful light patterns. The light enhances this ordinary often overlooked public right-of-way, creating a playful, inviting, memorable space.

The piece took two years to create by a group of designers called Urban Matter Inc. The project was originally slated for a location in Red Hook under the BQE, but due to site construction found a new home in Fort Greene under the BQE at Navy Street and Park Avenue.  The Partnership is working with the artists to connect them with community groups and is helping to promote the installation over the course of its year-long stay.

The project was made possible with support from DOT Urban Arts Program, Artplace America, Black Rock Foundation, Brooklyn Arts Council, Awesome Foundation, Designers Lighting Forum of New York, Red Hook Initiative, and contributions from individual donors.

The artists are hosting a post-unveiling party at IMAKE STUDIO Gallery, 163 Plymouth Street in DUMBO, beginning at 5:30pm.

DOT “Daylights” Park Ave

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

NYC DOT installed “daylighting” regulations at seven locations along Park Avenue (Brooklyn).  Daylighting removes one parking space at the approach to an intersection and gives drivers/pedestrians a better view of oncoming traffic or crossing pedestrians.

Daylighting was installed at the following locations:

  • Westbound Park Avenue at the approach to North Oxford Street.
  • Eastbound Park Avenue at the approach to Waverly Avenue.
  • Westbound Park Avenue at the approach to Waverly Avenue.
  • Eastbound Park Avenue at the approach to Ryerson Street (pictured above and below).
  • Westbound Park Avenue at the approach to Grand Avenue.
  • Eastbound Park Avenue at the approach to Grand Avenue
  • Eastbound Park Avenue at the approach to Steuben Street.

This change was requested by MARP as a follow-up to the Park Avenue Pedestrian Safety Plan.

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

Image Credit: Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

This driver now has a better view of oncoming traffic after stopping at the stop sign

Myrtle Avenue Plaza Construction Will Begin in Late Summer or Early Fall

DDC Plaza Construction Announcement August 2013

We’ve received many inquiries about when construction of Myrtle Avenue Plaza will start. According the NYC Department of Design and Construction, the construction will begin in late summer or early fall, 2014. Previously, construction was scheduled to begin in the fall of 2013. Contractors will start with work on water mains and catch basins before moving on to the plaza area itself. Estimated time to completion is 18 months. The official competitive bid documents were recently released and can be downloaded from this page.

The Myrtle Avenue Plaza will create approximately 25,000 square feet of new pedestrian space by reconfiguring two blocks of the four-block service road and the southeast corner of Myrtle at Hall. Enhancements include: improved crossings, new bus stops, dozens of new trees, large planters with ornamentals, game tables, a water fountain, a permanent art installation, moveable tables and chairs, and more. The plaza will also provide space for community programming. The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District will be the city’s maintenance partner and will be responsible for upkeep and programming.

Check out the site plan and renderings here.

This project is part of the first round of NYC DOT’s capital Plaza Program . Funding was provided by Councilmember Tish James, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, the Federal Government, and NYC DOT.

The Andrea Sponsors Myrtle Avenue Tree Bench

Blog Post Photo

The Andrea, a 95-unit mixed-use building on Myrtle @ Ashland, has sponsored the tree bench in front of Red Apple Supermarket.

The five-year sponsorship supports the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership’s efforts to beautify the public realm by providing additional funding for bench plank replacements, supplemental ornamental plants, and special tree care, as needed.

Myrtle’s tree guards are both functional and durable, and offer a ‘canvas’ that reflects local creativity. They were created with a modular design so that each set of panels can have a unique, laser-cut design, meeting the Partnership’s goal of creating more opportunities to incorporate local public art into the streetscape. The panel art on this tree bench, titled “Bridge Crossing,” was designed by Small Business Services Commissioner Rob Walsh and his son, Liam.

To learn more about sponsoring one of Myrtle’s unique tree guards or tree benches, pleaseclick here.

Public Design Commission Approves Designs for Myrtle Plaza


After extensive public input and multiple design iterations, the New York City Public Design Commission (PDC) approved the plans for Myrtle Plaza, a $6M capital project to reconstruct the streets and sidewalks of Myrtle Avenue between Hall Street and Emerson Place.

The Myrtle Avenue plaza will create approximately 25,000 square feet of new pedestrian space by reconfiguring two blocks of the four-block service road and the southeast corner of Myrtle at Hall. Enhancements include: improved crossings, new bus stops, dozens of new trees, large planters with ornamentals, game tables, a water fountain, a permanent art installation, moveable tables and chairs, and more. The plaza will also provide space for community programming. The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District will be the city’s maintenance partner and will be responsible for upkeep and programming. Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2013 and will last over a year.

Check out the site plan and renderings here.

This project is part of the first round of NYC DOT’s capital Plaza Program . Funding was provided by Councilmember Tish James, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and NYC DOT.

 

This post was originally published on November 13, 2012.

Park Avenue Update: “Skeleton” Message Board Cautions Drivers

Cropped #6

This morning, NYCDOT placed a variable message “skeleton” board on eastbound Park Avenue near Ryerson Street. The electronic sign alternates between two messages: the road’s speed limit and a digital skeleton image next to the words “Slow Down.” The message board will stay on Park Avenue for about one month, before being moved to another location.

According to DOT, a pedestrian struck at 40 mph is 3.5 times more likely to be killed than one struck at 30 mph. Furthermore, speeding was the top contributing factor of traffic fatalities in 2012.

The Park Avenue Safety Plan was published in the summer of 2012, after a multi-year community-led effort. Stay tuned for more information.

Park Avenue Safety Plan Spotlight: Repaving

If you’ve spent any time underneath the BQE, you know that the pavement conditions are terrible. There are countless potholes from Navy to Steuben, some very large. In some sections, the asphalt near the raised curb is almost entirely gone. This area has been neglected. Upon our request, DOT did send a pothole crew to this area. Some potholes were filled but many more remain. Fixing this issue may require a complete repaving project.

We will keep the pressure on DOT to fix the pavement in this area. You can help, by signing the online petition and/or sharing it with friends. Including hard copy petitions, we now have nearly 900 signatures, close to our goal of 1000! Help us get there.

Stay tuned for more updates and spotlights…

Park Avenue Safety Plan Spotlight: Street Trees

Did you know that a full street tree canopy can reduce automobile speeds by 5-10mph? It’s true. That’s why we proposed adding street trees to all available spots on Park Avenue between Navy and Steuben. As you can imagine, a wide open street without trees (like this photo) invites speeding. Trees can help. Besides adding beauty and reducing energy bills, street trees have a calming effect on drivers and vehicle speeds.

The New York City Parks Department is responsible for street trees. They received our report and asked that our proposal be refined to include each specific location where a tree can go. As you can imagine, siting street trees in NYC is not easy. In the coming months, we hope to map each location where a tree could be planted.

Including hard copy petitions, we now have over 800 signatures, close to our goal of 1000! Help us get there by signing the online version and/or sharing it with friends.

Stay tuned for more updates and spotlights…

Park Avenue Safety Plan Update: Rainwater and the BQE

 

With Superstorm Sandy in the rearview mirror and a nor’easter brewing over the Atlantic, this week we look at rainwater and the BQE. Just a few short years ago New York State DOT completed a major rehabilitation of the elevated portion of the BQE between Navy and Steuben. Lighting was greatly improved (only the area under the BQE at Steuben remains below standard). However, the downspouts that direct BQE runoff to storm drains are already leaking profusely. If you pass under/near the area during a rain storm you will see countless downspouts leaking – some heavily – onto the roadway below. We call on NYS DOT to fix this eyesore.

We also believe that the runoff from the BQE could be used, instead of mixed with sewage and discarded. Innovative planters could be installed at the edge of the parking areas (where these is some sun) and runoff could be directed into them, feeding plants and reducing the frequency/volume of combined sewer overflow events. See the Park Avenue Safety Plan for more details.

As a reminder, Please spread the word about the online petition.

Stay tuned for more updates and spotlights…

Park Avenue Safety Plan Update: Meeting with DOT

Earlier this week MARP staff met with representatives from the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT wants to start an official project addressing many of the issues we outlined in the Park Avenue Safety Plan! However, that would not likely happen until 2014. Some things could happen sooner, before a formal project. Following are some highlights from the meeting:

DOT initiated a “warrant study” to determine if pedestrian volumes on the superblock warrant a traffic signal.

DOT captured speed data on Park and is getting volume data.

Countdown pedestrian clocks will be coming to all intersections, probably next year.

DOT initiated a lighting efficiency study, to determine where light levels are low. Any place that does not meet the minimum requirements will get additional lighting.

DOT will look into adding stop signs and “no parking” pavement markings near the entrance/exit of each parking area under the BQE.

MARP have some follow-up to do as well. We will do our part. Will you do yours? Please spread the word about the online petition.

Stay tuned for more updates and spotlights…

Park Avenue Safety Plan Spotlight: Intersection Treatments

In a little over a month since the release of the Park Avenue Safety Plan, nearly 600 concerned citizens have already shown their support by signing the petition, in hard copy and online . If you haven’t signed already, please add your voice.

Today we look at one of the core proposals to calm traffic and improve safety on Park Avenue: Intersection Treatments. Most crashes occur at intersections. The intersections on Park Avenue are especially awkward due to the parking area under the elevated BQE. In essence, each intersection has three intersections: eastbound Park Avenue, the parking area, and westbound Park Avenue. Proposals at most intersections include: stop signs at exits of parking areas; raised crosswalk/driveway at entrances/exits to parking areas; curb cuts at pedestrian islands; neckdowns (temporary or permanent); and “No Parking” markings along the cross street under the BQE. We also propose left-turn lanes at high traffic intersections, as well as fully pedestrianized areas of key crossings.

Stay tuned for more updates and spotlights…

Park Avenue Safety Plan Spotlight: Median Parking

It’s been almost a month since we released the Park Avenue Safety Plan. Over 500 concerned citizens have already shown their support by signing the petition, in hard copy and online . If you haven’t signed already, please add your voice.

Today we look at one of the innovative (and inexpensive) ideas to calm traffic on Park Avenue: Median Parking. Each side of Park Avenue has three lanes: one for parking, one center travel lane, and a travel lane adjacent to a median. During rush hour, traffic volume is significant. However, during off hours volumes are low. What do you think drivers do with wide open space and green lights? They speed. Allowing median parking during off hours will narrow the roadway and calm traffic. It will also provide parking for residents who use their cars during the day but park overnight.

This idea is similar – but not identical – to what DOT recently did on Hicks Street .

Stay tuned for more updates and spotlights…