Brooklyn Gateway plan recommends tactics to adjust to population growth (and arena): permit parking, traffic calming, bus lanes, congestion pricing, parking surtax, rapid response team

The Atlantic Yards Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan is surely not enough, nor have city agencies stepped up to confront growth, according to BK Gateway Vision: Planning for Now and the Next Generation of Downtown Brooklyn.

The plan released yesterday "lays out potential solutions to the transportation-land use challenges in the BK Gateway area" (East River, Nostrand Avenue, Empire Boulevard and 9th Street).

Sponsors include the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, the Office of New York State Assemblymember and Congressman-elect Hakeem Jeffries, the Office of New York City Council Member Letitia James, Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council, Park Slope Civic Council, and the Boerum Hill Association.

Recomendations

Among the recommendations: a parking management plan, residential permit parking, protected bike lanes, Select Bus Service, and an expanded traffic calming program. The report’s recommendations drew on discussions with community boards and a community planning meeting held last March.

Update: Note comment by CB 2 District Manager Robert Perris on TSTC blog: “I checked with the chairperson of Community Board 2 and the co-chairs of the board’s transportation committee, as well as my colleagues at Community Boards 3 and 6, and none of us remember any ‘discussions with community boards’ (final paragraph).”

“Soaring residential density and an arena on Flatbush Avenue are having immediate impacts on the local street network and on transit that will only get worse with expected future development,” said Gib Veconi of the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council. “The City needs a holistic approach to transportation planning that’s scaled to meet the challenges before it.”

A panel discussion on the plan will be held Saturday, January 26. [I'll update this when I learn time/place.]

Atlantic Yards/Barclays Center mentions

The report makes several recommendation in response to arena operations:

Creation of a ‘Pedestrian Safety Rapid Response Team’ for the area around the Barclays
Center is necessary to address unforeseen problems that have developed since the arena’s opening...

Sufficient bike share stations in the study area and a large station located at the Barclays Center...

The Downtown Brooklyn Council conducted a 2006 study analyzing the potential for various types of RPP [residential permit parking] including traditional RPP upon request or market based pricing. This study should be further explored to include the entirety of the neighborhoods listed above, with particular attention to the communities directly impacted by the Barclays Center.... 

Parking Surtax: Adding a surtax to parking garages within the footprint of the Barclays Center could further discourage driving to events at the Barclays Center.  However, the success of this policy prescription is likely to increase if coupled with RPP. 

Extend Meter Times on Roads Surrounding Barclays Center: Extending meter regulations beyond 7 pm on roads surrounding the Barclays Center will deter event goers from occupying parking spaces needed for business customers....

Developer Provision of Transit Service to Barclays Center: Free transit passes to arena events and the provision of free ferry service from NJ to Fulton Ferry should be underwritten by FCRC. This idea is no longer a part of the developer’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan, however it should be revisited as the TDM plan is reviewed and refined. Developer support for transit operations has precedent...

Bike Parking: The 400 space bike parking lot at the Barclays Center is not enclosed or staffed, as was previously promised, a significant disappointment for potential customers who wish to cycle to the arena. [Note: that should come when the second Atlantic Yards residential tower is built.] NYCDOT and FCRC should reconsider this decision and ensure that anyone who wishes to cycle in and around the Barclays Center will have a secure, enclosed parking area whether events are taking place or not. 

Brooklyn Gateway Report Final