CB7 Approves Park Circle Changes
Last week was a big one for Park Circle, the traffic roundabout at the Southeast corner of Prospect Park where the major roadways of Prospect Park Southwest, Ocean Parkway, Coney Island Avenue and Parkside Avenue all come together. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation began examining short-term improvements it could make to balance the…
Last week was a big one for Park Circle, the traffic roundabout at the Southeast corner of Prospect Park where the major roadways of Prospect Park Southwest, Ocean Parkway, Coney Island Avenue and Parkside Avenue all come together. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation began examining short-term improvements it could make to balance the interests of pedestrians, bicyclists and horseback riders with the drivers navigating the hectic circle. Last Tuesday night DOT presented its recommendations [PDF] to the community and on Wednesday Community Board 7 voted to support them. Here’s a summary from Streets Blog:
1) For pedestrians: new, direct and shorter crosswalks;
2) For cyclists: Class 1 bike path around the circle; connection to the Ocean Parkway Greenway; Class 1 bike path on Ft. Hamilton Parkway;
3) For equestrians: Protected bridle path within the circle;
4) For motorists: Park through-traffic will be consolidated to one access point.
Good news?
DOT Proposes Park Circle Improvements; CB 7 Approves [Streets Blog]
Brooklynites Suggest Park Circle Safety Fixes [Streets Blog]
Changes Coming to Park Circle this Fall [Stable Brooklyn]
I would like to see a NYC cop issuing speeding tickets on residential streets. The city speed limit is around 30 MPH, 20 on the side streets I think. Often when I’m cruising down the block looking for a spot some idiot will start beeping like it’s the BQE, meanwhile I’m already going 20 MPH!
Oh yeah, and fucking cops that would actually issue a fucking traffic ticket in this city would go a LONG WAY!!
Crank… I couldn’t agree with you MORE!!
CMU, it’s not the idiots that cut across because of “Ooops, that’s my turn.” That’s expected. It’s the fact that there are FOUR lanes on the circle and the INNER TWO are where the assholes expect to turn onto Coney Island Avenue. They drive STRAIGHT from Prospect Park SW as if there is no circle, no lanes, nothing.
I’m actually quite aggressive at that mid-circle light. I’m in the 2nd right lane, taking a right onto the inner lane on CIA… and i try my HARDEST to cut those fuckers off. We’re coming from a stop, so it’s not dangerous if they hit me (I don’t do it if I catch a green light, that’s suicide). I love when they honk at me!! I also go really slowly when I get in front of them and let them watch the right lane go really fast. 🙂
I doubt they get the message, but it makes me feel like I made a difference in my soft head. And I WANT one of them to hit me with their Escalades…. I could use a new car.
Quite right BrooklynSteve–south WEST.
CMU,
That’s the UK, this is Brooklyn where they AIM at you. I can deal with the ordinary idiots, who cut me off; the dangerous kind are the ones who seem intent on broadsiding me. I’d rather drive in Britain any day, even on the “wrong” side, while sitting on the right 🙂
Isn’t this the southwest corner, not the south east? The south east corner would be over by Ocean Avenue and Parkside.
I live right on the circle at 10 Ocean Pkwy and have found with experience that slowing down and watching for traffic is what you have to do. CMU is right. The more you use it the less dangerous it seems. Do these new crosswalks mean we will no longer have to use the pedestrian bridge to cross Ocean Pkwy?
What a giant step in the right direction! Now if they’d only get going on the GAP improvements we’d have something.
marvin and crank: ‘risk your life’?! what’re you driving, a Yugo?
suggest you drive the *2-way* *uncontrolled* traffic circles in England to learn how to accept drivers cutting across you and going every which way. Slow down and watch for other traffic. We have it so easy here.
Good to see that CB7 isn’t reflexively opposing this huge quality-of-life improvement, as they did the last huge quality-of-life improvement (closing the 3rd and 16th Street entrances/exits to Prospect Park). Any Community Board that supports cars in the park represents only a very small fraction of its residents, and is willing to sacrifice the right of the majority to have a single calm, car-free space to the altar of automobiles.