But Some Fear It Will Lead
To Influx of Cars on Streets
By Raanan Geberer
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
PROSPECT PARK — A six-month pilot plan that would further increase the number of car-free hours in the park was announced yesterday by Mayor Bloomberg, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall, at a press conference at Prospect Park’s Union Street entrance.
However, bicycle activists, who want a completely car-free park, say it’s not enough, and some Flatbush residents, who often use the park’s East Drive to travel to Downtown Brooklyn in rush hours, say it’s too much.
As of Monday, vehicles will no longer be able to use Prospect Park’s West Drive, which basically parallels Prospect Park West, in the morning, although they will still be able to use the East Drive, which basically parallels Ocean Avenue and Flatbush Avenue.
Previously, cars in the park were already restricted to morning and evening rush hours, and were completely banned on the weekends. Evening rush-hour traffic will continue as before.
“With summer quickly approaching, more New Yorkers are heading to our city parks for fun and recreation,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Expanding the number of hours that our city residents can enjoy both Central and Prospect Park free of vehicular traffic will help keep park-goers safe.”
In Prospect Park, only East Drive will be open to motor vehicles from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and both the East and West Drives will be open during the afternoon between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The speed limit will remain 25 mph.
Tremendous Growth
Tupper Thomas, head of the Prospect Park Alliance, said, “There’s been a tremendous growth in the number of people using Prospect Park over the years, so we are happy to be able to increase the times available to park users for recreation and enjoyment.”
One cyclists’ advocacy group that has been pushing for a complete end to auto traffic in Prospect Park, with a three-month car-free trial period in the meantime, is Transportation Alternatives.
Paul White, head of the organization, said, “We’re heartened by the mayor’s attention to the issue, but we don’t feel that the mayor’s changes go far enough in Prospect Park — we’d like to see car-free afternoons. We think that he needs to go farther on this issue.”
‘A Special Interest Group’
On the other hand, Alvin Berk, chairman of Community Board 14, which covers Midwood and Flatbush, said, “We’ve been concerned about further traffic restrictions in Prospect Park for a long time.
“If East Drive were to be closed, it would cause substantial traffic backups onto Parkside Avenue eastbound and Coney Island Avenue northbound. The concern we have is that northbound traffic will back up into the community.
“Flatbush Avenue northbound and Ocean Avenue northbound are very saturated.”
Berk said that “Transportation Alternatives continues to advocate for further restrictions for a special interest group — bicyclists. The issue is whether the public is best served by responding to special interest groups, or to fewer cars being diverted to residential streets.”
Board 6 Supports Move
On the other hand, Craig Hammerman, district manager of Community Board 6, representing Park Slope on the other side of the park said, “We were the ones who were pushing them to do a pilot. We suggested a three-month pilot, basically closing the park to vehicular traffic.”
On the issue of cars spilling onto local streets, Hammerman said, “We had some concerns about that 10 years ago, before the Department of Transportation released a traffic study showing that our streets would not be harmed.
“I think it’s great they’re going to try this. We hope that as we have been asking for the study, they will make results available for all of us to see in the end.”
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2006
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