Parting Ways for Flatbush and Hanson Place

As long as we're on the subject of this intersection, we noticed that the link between Ashland, Hanson Place and Flatbush has been severed, part of the plan to make the intersection more pedestrian-friendly. This creates a mini pedestrian plaza in front of the refurbished One Hanson Place, which will be part of the greenstreets program (and conveniently located next to Midtown Florist, if that business will indeed be staying). Question to you transportation planners out there: even if this makes things better for pedestrians, how will it affect the traffic flow? Lord knows, if that arena ever comes, many more cars will be flooding the area.
Update: g-man has informed us that the revised traffic plan is here [pdf], and that left turns will now be allowed from Third Avenue, which might relieve a bit of traffic from Fourth.

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I will check it out today as I am going to visit Dr. Michael Mazza in pediatrics located on 7th floor. They still have offices up there! I thought everyone got booted but they have not. Looking forward to shots for the kids and great views.

Posted by: areakidsbrooklyn at November 14, 2008 10:58 AM

As part of this change, Third Avenue between Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues will be made northbound only. Drivers will also now be able to turn left (west) on to Atlantic Avenue from Third. This may mean more traffic will take Third Avenue instead of Fourth. More information is available on-line:

www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/hansonpl_3ave.pdf

Posted by: g man at November 14, 2008 11:06 AM

The traffic pattern has been changed as well. Hanson Place is now both directions around for the length of the Atlantic Center structure.

As an aside, the severing of Flatbush was sorely needed. That intersection was an absolute disaster with cars' not knowing where pedestrians were coming from and vice versa.

Posted by: granne at November 14, 2008 11:07 AM

Yes, this is infinitely better for pedestrians. We now no longer have to compete with aggressive turning traffic to cross the street safely. Long overdue!

Posted by: zinka at November 14, 2008 11:10 AM

This "severing" of Flatbush does make sense but it's the ONLY part of recent BAM/Atlantic Center area traffic planning that really does make sense and one of the few taking pedestrians and bicyclists into consideration.

While there are MANY ways to get IN to Clinton Hill or Ft. Greene THERE ARE NO WAYS TO GET OUT! Try going to Park Slope without using Vanderbilt Ave. or Atlantic.

DeKalb Ave. --> Flatbush is an impossible - although legal - left turn.

Fulton St. --> Flatbush is an impossible - again legal - left turn.

Lafayette Ave. is now permanently one way eastbound between Flatbush and Fulton Street.

Myrtle Ave. at Flatbush is blocked by construction.

DeKalb - while traffic flow has tripled in volume and increased in speed due to the removal of one lane of parking and the addition of the bike lane - is also blocked by construction where it meets Flatubsh.

It's clear NYC traffic planners intend to force traffic across Ashland Place for "back door" access to both the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges.

It's easy to predict this HUGE increase in traffic - especially as it's all routed on to DeKalb - will result in pedestrian and bicycle fatalites soon.

While applying logic to traffic patterns is commendable, all of the recent changes appear to have been made to for Park Slope folks to get into Manhattan easily. Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bed Stuy residents are out of luck.

Posted by: Stonergut at November 14, 2008 12:30 PM

Hallelujah! My wife nearly got run over by a car turning right from Flatbush onto Hanson/Ashland trying to cross that stretch last year -- in a crosswalk -- with a "WALK" sign, and the driver screamed, "I'll f-----g kill you, b----!!!" and sped off. So this will be much better for all of us pedestrians their spouses who would prefer not to get killed.

Posted by: AshlandGreene at November 14, 2008 12:53 PM

I just discovered this clusterf*ck today. Cutting off this right onto Ashland might be better for pedestrians but since the Carlton Avenue bridge is closed and now this right is taken away, there is no way to get out of Flatbush Ave. traffic going downtown. Also, Schermerhorn St. traffic can no longer turn right onto Flatbush. Schermerhorn is blocked at 3rd and traffic must go straight across Flatbush. UGH!!! Aren't flow control patterns supposed to alleviate traffic?!

Posted by: i_heart_brooklyn at November 15, 2008 12:21 AM

Schermerhorn can still turn right onto Flatbush. But Flatbush can't turn right onto Schermerhorn/3rd.

This is one of the best things the DOT has ever done. Anyone who's driving around Brooklyn really needs to wake up and smell the subway.

Posted by: zinka at November 15, 2008 2:04 AM

Overall this seems great. It'll be less confusing for pedestrians and probably cut down on car vs. pedestrian acidents. However, this was a total surprise to me as I was driving South on Flatbush Avenue. I normally turn right onto Schermerhorn Street at Third Avenue. I could no longer do so. I would up making what I guess is an illegal turn onto Schermerhorn from Flatbush. There's about 25 feet of street there that is now one way. It used to be two way. The DOT needs to put up more signs making this clear to motorists. Also, they should put up a sign on Flatbush before Fulton that tells drivers if they want to access Schermerhorn, they need to turn right on Nevins Street now. Also, there is no street sign for Nevins Street at the corner of Flatbush. Please help me get the DOT to put up a new sign by calling 3-1-1. I've done so several times. Thanks.

Posted by: BrooklynSteve at November 16, 2008 8:02 PM

Steve, there's a giant "no right turn" sign on southbound Flatbush at Schermerhorn. Not sure how much more notification you want.

That one-way section has been one-way for a year or two. There used to be an additional area where you could turn right, but it was recently closed, and the aforementioned signs put up.

Posted by: zinka at November 16, 2008 8:29 PM

I think closing off the "uncontrolled" Ashland/Hanson intersection is a good idea for all the reasons above. I'm much less than thrilled with the conversion of 3rd Ave to Northbound only from Atlantic to Flatbush. It's already very difficult to negotiate the drive south through Downtown Bklyn without cutting off this outlet. It's obviously an extension of the Lafayette Northbound one way that was created a while back. All of these measures force locals onto Flatbush to simply navigate the neighborhood. Very annoying and dangerous (given the crazy turns exposed by Stonergut above).

Posted by: cjm_bklyn at November 18, 2008 8:55 AM

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November 14, 2008

Parting Ways for Flatbush and Hanson Place

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