The Transformation of Fourth Avenue
Watch out, 4th Avenue. Marty Markowitz has a dream: “I have imagined this bleak stretch of road transformed into something reminiscent of the beautiful, tree-lined portion of Park Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. And my hope is that this community-based process will lay the groundwork for a stunning thoroughfare reaching from Atlantic Avenue to…
Watch out, 4th Avenue. Marty Markowitz has a dream: “I have imagined this bleak stretch of road transformed into something reminiscent of the beautiful, tree-lined portion of Park Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. And my hope is that this community-based process will lay the groundwork for a stunning thoroughfare reaching from Atlantic Avenue to the Atlantic Ocean.” The Borough President enlisted urban planning students from NYU Wagner to help create the Vision Plan for the Fourth Avenue Corridor, which involves “traffic-calming measures, streetscaping, placemaking and wayfinding improvements, and community partnerships” — that could eventually transform the industrial avenue into “Brooklyn Boulevard.” Any thoughts on this?
Vision Plan for the 4th Avenue Corridor [Brooklyn Borough President’s Office]
Re: PPW–not loving the city’s plan because decreasing the width of the avenue will make rush hour traffic worse and more unpleasant for residents, especially as bus stops along PPW have been eliminated and bus and subway schedules have been curtailed. Also, these built-in meridians, etc. make passage for emergency vehicles like fire trucks more difficult. If you want to reduce cars, then please improve mass transit and give incentives to smaller businesses–not just multi-million $ corps–so there are more and more widespread employment centers. Since the economy demands cutting MTA budgets, hold off on the car restrictions.
Using Pacific for northbound Fourth Ave traffic is ridiculous.
Use eminent domain to seize the PC Richard block, and then you have more room to maneuver and create a roundabout. All traffic from all 3 arteries can circle around the old Times Plaza shed.
“The cars and trucks have to go somewhere, they just can’t dissappear into the abyss……….”
Trucks, sure. But 75% of the drivers of those cars have good mass transit options. They just need to be induced to use them. Studies have shown time and again that reducing the amount of space dedicated to cars doesn’t make traffic worse — it encourages people to drive less, which is a win for everyone.
Too bad Marty’s vision doesn’t extend to PPW, a street that actually is the Park Ave. (actually CPW) of Brooklyn.
As I recall, Marty tried to block Bloomberg’s bike lane/traffic calming there, because it would result in a net loss of 5 parking spaces and make it difficult for Marty’s city-provided car to double park when it picks him up in front of his coop in the morning. (http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/01/25/marty-markowitz-derails-prospect-park-west-bike-lane-for-how-long/
The only way to make 4th beautiful would be to knock it down and start over. Nothing wrong with planting trees, of course. But as the subject of a vision? What an idiot.
the avenue serves it’s purpose.
*rob*
Guess Rob thinks the people who live there, shop there, etc. are all down with the purpose, which is a road to drive down preferably at illegally high speeds. Something to drive through, rather than live with.
Also, for the truck-traffic; some truth, but a shame that there’s no way for the cargo to get from Port Elizabeth without driving it from Jerz. So many ways the infrastructure is lacking – used to come straight to BK.
hahahahahah
The picture of 4th Ave and 43rd street, I work in the area, they want tables with umbrellas, in the middle of the median.
You gotta be kidding??????????????????
Thank God, by the time that happens i will be retired and in Palm Springs, not in this dumpy area……………
I gotta agree with Rob on this, leave the freaking Avenue alone. It serves its purpose a fast moving thoroughfare. We need it.
The cars and trucks have to go somewhere, they just can’t dissappear into the abyss……….
“It is really simple – REALLY
There is one problem with 4th Ave – its ugly – otherwise its fine. Just make the medians consistent (width) and then plant them all as well as street trees on either side. It shouldnt even be that expensive since the City has already budgeted money for Bloombergs 1M tree program.”
Worth repeating.
Except, Leacheal would want to cut all the trees down and put them in some sort of ill-conceived giant shed.
I 100% agree with Brooklynsteve!