New Curbs, Crossings Coming to Kent as Part of Greenway

Last week Community Board 1’s Transportation Committee updated other board members on the progress of the Waterfront Greenway plans through North Brooklyn. The greenway improvements for Kent Avenue (pictured) include building out curbs to enhance the bike lanes, landscaping and pedestrian refuge islands. New pedestrian crossing designs will also go on Kent. DOT will install shared lane markings on Calyer and Quay Streets and upgrade the shared lane markings on Franklin Street. Finally, the DOT outlined plans on West Street from Eagle to Quay Streets, which include two separate, dedicated bike lanes; resurfacing the roadway; improving the roadway width; extending Kent Avenue North; widening sidewalks; adding greenery; and possibly converting West Street to a one-way street. (The conversion hasn’t been decided yet and some residents expressed concerns over the conversion.) There is still no set timeline for greenway construction, and some of the improvements are a few years off. Depending on the development of Bushwick Inlet Park, the cityalso plans to explore the extension of the greeenway through the future park and possibly building a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over Newtown Creek.