DOT's New Traffic Plan for Park Slope
Yesterday, Streetsblog broke the story that the Department of Transportation was preparing to propose a “radical” new traffic plan for Park Slope. A letter from the DOT’s press office confirmed their suspicions: “DOT has proposed changing 6th and 7th Avenues to one-way streets which we believe will have many benefits including simplifying the turning movements…
Yesterday, Streetsblog broke the story that the Department of Transportation was preparing to propose a “radical” new traffic plan for Park Slope. A letter from the DOT’s press office confirmed their suspicions:
“DOT has proposed changing 6th and 7th Avenues to one-way streets which we believe will have many benefits including simplifying the turning movements at intersections to make it safer for pedestrians crossing the street and narrowing the travel lanes on 7th Avenue to encourage vehicles to travel within the existing speed limit. DOT also proposes making these changes in conjunction with a plan that would remove a travel lane in each direction on 4th Avenue (between 17th and Dean Streets) using this space to improve the existing left turn bays.”
Some Streetsblog commentors are buying into the idea, but one who goes by Mitch says, “4th Ave can be backed up as it is. Not sure what narrowing the lanes would accomplish except more gridlock.” Commentor Michael Cairl also has a beef with the plan: “Making 6th and 7th Avenues one-way will increase traffic speeds through the neighborhood and make the streets less safe for pedestrians, cyclists, and especially the senior population.” Thoughts?
DOT to Propose Radical New Traffic Plan for Park Slope [Streetsblog]
DOT Explains New Traffic Solution [Streetsblog]
Turning our side streets into major traffic throughfares might reduce the Atlantic Yards congestion nightmare – but only at the considerable expense of our neighborhoods, in terms of noise, safety and pollution.
The AY apologists have framed the issue well – how do we deal with the pending massive traffic buildup? A better question would be – how do we reduce the traffic? One approach: Follow London’s example and toll the bridges during rush hour.
This plan is idiocy.
When is Bloomberg going to wake up and recognize that his massive development plans require a total rethink of the way NYC does transportation. If he wants to have this level of density in and around Downtown Brooklyn, fine. But that means cars don’t work anymore. Local trips need to be moved to bike and bus. Longer commuter trips need to be moved to train and bus. The city needs to facilitate THAT. Shoving more traffic through Park Slope doesn’t get us where we need to be.
Take 8th Ave as an example of what happens when you put traffic in only one direction. The speed increases 3-fold.
Does this mean strollers will have to abide by one way traffic laws? I won’t stand for it!
“Removing a travel lane in each direction on 4th Avenue (between 17th and Dean Streets)”
What will that tdo?
4th ave is the main through way on this side of brooklyn.
The gowanus is a parking lot.
3rd ave is truck heaven.
5th and 7th are commercial.
6th ave is narrow and lights are purposely not in sync.
DOT must have used the magic 8 ball on this one.
boy, talk about your ‘manhattanization’ of brooklyn: one-way traffic on a major commercial street (seventh avenue)