Atlantic Yards Traffic Changes Coming Soon
The Empire State Development Corporation has put out a community notice for its arena traffic mitigation plan, which is scheduled to go into effect on or around July 15th. The presentation above gives a sense of the traffic changes that are in the works, and here’s the summary of them: “Fourth Avenue (between Atlantic Avenue…
The Empire State Development Corporation has put out a community notice for its arena traffic mitigation plan, which is scheduled to go into effect on or around July 15th. The presentation above gives a sense of the traffic changes that are in the works, and here’s the summary of them: “Fourth Avenue (between Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush Avenue only) will be converted to one-way southbound to improve traffic flow at the Flatbush Avenue/Atlantic Avenue/Fourth Avenue intersection. Pacific Street (between Fourth Avenue and Flatbush Avenue only) will be reversed, changing from one-way westbound to one-way eastbound. To accommodate this change, a new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Pacific Street and Flatbush Avenue, as will a new crosswalk across Flatbush Avenue. Vehicles will be able to make right or left turns onto Flatbush Avenue at this location. This block can be accessed from both northbound and southbound Fourth Avenue. Fourth Avenue northbound traffic, including all commercial vehicles, can use Third Avenue via Atlantic Avenue to access Flatbush Avenue. Pacific Street will offer secondary access to Flatbush Avenue. No through truck traffic will be permitted on Pacific Street.” The plan will be presented to the public on June 14th.
Traffic Mitigation Presentation [PDF]
Official Community Notice [PDF]
Where do pedestrians and cyclists fit into this planning nightmare? And with 5th Ave. forever lopped off at Flatbush, Park Slope and Ft. Greene might as well be on different continents. This whole project is a disgrace.
I unfortunately commute daily through this area to get to one of the bridges. Originally I started down 4th avenue to make a left on Atlantic to go to the Brooklyn Bridge. That got too crowded so I did the same thing down 3rd Avenue after they made the left turn from 3rd avenue onto Atlantic legal. Now, LOTS of people are bagging off of the BQE on Hamilton and heading down 3rd to do the same thing (or to get on Flatbush heading for the Manhattan Bridge). So even as of the traffic pattern today, EARLY in the morning, 3rd Avenue is packed trying to get onto Flatbush – AND 4th Avenue is already packed getting onto Flatbush…. So, if they reroute all the 4th Ave. traffic onto 3rd Ave it simply will not work.
“No through truck traffic will be permitted on Pacific Street”. Right. I’d like to see any part of that enforced. I guess no more open windows in the spring and fall for me.
As someone who drives this intersection, i think this is better. But will be rough no matter what after Arena opens.
People will also be able to access the arena via the LIRR. It really is the correct site.
I do think that traffic patterns in the area are a mess and I am hoping that the new arena will force our great city fathers and mothers to improve it.
Keeping part of Fulton as a bus-only street was a bad call IMO. But I have hopes that once the current Mayor runs for Lord Mayor of Bermuda, that the new administration will focus on traffic issues facing brownstone Brooklyn.
It seems to me like the only streets that will get much more traffic are the one block of Atlantic and 2 blocks of 3rd with the new northbound traffic pattern.
The way the one way streets are set up, no other routes are really conducive to cut-though traffic, expect perhaps people taking Atlantic to Boerum to get on the Brooklyn Bridge.
My guess is that depending on their start and destination people will adjust their patterns further south, including
– Using 3rd
– Getting on Flatbush before Atlantic
– Using Smith or Clinton
– Using the BQE
Like I said earlier, something needed to be done about that that tiny block of 4th between Atlantic and Pacific, even if AY were never built.
Well what can you do Brooklyn Chicken? Put a gated fence around your block? The upside is that the new arena is well situated for subway access. Most people will go and return by subway.
That’s very kind of you, Minard, but there is an “increase” in traffic, and then there is turning my fairly quiet residential street into a honking, fume-spewing parking lot. With the Verazanno tolls being what they are, and the currently toll-free East River crossings, trucks and other through traffic have a strong incentive to take 3rd Avenue to Atlantic / Flatbush. Without effective mitigation, the ensuing snarl will send them onto our streets.
This seems pretty well thought out. There are many other changes that should be made in the Downtown area to ease traffic, perhaps the next administration will take this on.
I agree that these changes may increase traffic in Boerum Hill but living in the city means having to put up with traffic, that’s the downside of city life.