With access to 14 subway lines, 16 bus lines, the Long Island Railroad, two major bridges connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and the borough’s two major thoroughfares, Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, Downtown Brooklyn is one of New York City’s major transportation hubs.
The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP) understands that Downtown Brooklyn’s transportation network is fundamental to the area’s economic vitality and high quality of life. Ensuring that Downtown Brooklyn capitalizes on its transportation strengths requires an array of tasks that include better supervision of existing parking and roadway capacity, advocacy for transit investment, travel demand management, and the protection of pedestrians and cyclists.
DBP Support of PlaNYC Transportation Agenda
The DBP shares and supports the underlying concept of a long-term transportation plan that enhances the city’s ability to grow in a way that is economically competitive, while simultaneously improving quality of life and the environmental health of the city. In the spirit of open dialogue that has been encouraged during the development of PlaNYC 2030, the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership has presented City Hall the several critical actions necessary to ensure that Brooklyn, and the rest of the five boroughs, is served by an effective transportation system.
PlaNYC Parking Strategies Study
On February 4, 2008, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) presented a PlaNYC Parking Strategies Study at a residential parking forum held at St. Francis College. DOT is holding parking forums at a few case-study neighborhoods throughout the city, including Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, and Fort Greene. Four potential residential permit parking plans are outlined. For a copy of the presentation, click here.
DBP Testified at Traffic Congestion Mitigation Committee Hearings
On January 16, 2008, the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Committee, the group tasked with analyzing the Mayor’s congestion pricing plan released its interim report and held public hearings to solicit public feedback. Doug Giuliano, Project Manager for the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, testified at the hearings in both Manhattan and Brooklyn urging the committee to create a workable congestion pricing plan.
Council Representative Yassky’s Report on Congestion Pricing’s Impact on Small Business
In response to concerns from city residents and elected officials that the Mayor’s congestion pricing proposal would detrimentally affect small businesses, City Council Representative David Yassky conducted a study to examine the validity of these claims. The report studied the impact on small businesses in other cities where congestion pricing exists and concluded that these programs had no discernible impact on economic activity within the affected zone.
Transportation Management Organization Feasibility Study
In response to transportation challenges resulting from the current and projected development taking place in Downtown Brooklyn, area stakeholders explored the feasibility of forming a Transportation Management Organization (TMO) to design and implement enhanced transportation improvements in the district. The results of that report can be found here.
Downtown Brooklyn Residential Parking Permit Study
The strong competition for limited curbside parking spaces in neighborhoods in and around Downtown Brooklyn has generated interest in introducing a residential parking permit (RPP) program. Downtown Brooklyn is not only a major center of employment, but also a transportation hub with 14 subway lines that provide quick car-less access to Manhattan. However, Downtown is a far more complex environment than most other neighborhoods that have successfully introduced RPP programs, so the nationally-known transportation consulting firm Nelson\Nygaard was contracted to study a variety of issues surrounding such an initiative.
The Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Blueprint
The Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Blueprint was a transportation planning effort conducted by the City’s Department of Transportation in 2004 that compiled the broad multi-modal transportation needs for Downtown over the next 20 years. The Blueprint integrates planning for pedestrians, transit users, cyclists, motorists and goods movement. The project considers the implications of growth while also developing goals, policies, strategies and initiatives that are focused on maintaining and enhancing access, mobility and quality of life as Downtown Brooklyn expands. Further explanation of the Blueprint and the project itself can be found here.
Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Report
Released in 2004, the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Project was conducted by the New York City Department of Transportation and conceived through the cooperative efforts of local elected officials and community groups, with additional support from the Bloomberg administration. Most importantly, both the Downtown Brooklyn community and City Hall view this project as signaling a new direction for traffic management throughout the five boroughs. Thus, the project’s goal is to make all types of streets function better for all users of the public space. The area includes the communities of Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Gowanus, Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Columbia Terrace, Brooklyn Heights, Fulton Landing, Downtown Brooklyn and Vinegar Hill. For a detailed explanation of the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Report and to read the report in its entirety, please follow this link.
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