New plan to speed buses on Flatbush Avenue would dedicate bus lanes at center, add boarding islands. Might limit illegal idling/parking around Barclays Center.

A proposed Department of Transportation (DOT) and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) plan (link; also at bottom) for the northern part of Flatbush Avenue, from Livingston Street to Grand Army Plaza, proposes new center-running bus lanes, separated from regular traffic, to prioritize and speed bus service.

So three current lanes would be come two, plus bus boarding islands.

Six of 12 existing curbside bus stops would be consolidated into six bus boarding islands near subway stations.

New pedestrian spaces would reduce crossing distances and improve visibility where Atlantic, Flatbush, and Fourth avenues meet.

While the plan does not assess an impact on Barclays Center operations, the emphasis on moving Flatbush Avenue traffic presumably implies less tolerance for scofflaw activities illegal idling and double-parking, which are part of the scene around the arena., at least on Flatbush

That said, such activities could instead be concentrated on other streets, and enforcement depends on the New York Police Department, which generally has other priorities.

The proposal cites outreach to three Community Boards (2, 6, and 8), meetings with the North Flatbush BID and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, merchant and pedestrian surveys, and meetings with local elected officials, but not the arena operator. More discussions at the Community Boards are upcoming.

The rationale

According to DOT, this would improve pedestrian safety, advance bus speeds (as slow as 4 mph!) and make it easier for freight and bike delivery. 

The slide at right makes a distinction between marked (but not separated) offset bus lanes, as shown in the image at top, and center-running bus lanes, separated by an island from regular traffic.

While offset bus lanes may still be blocked from double parking, center-running ones do not. The latter enhance public safety and make bus boarding easier.

From Atlantic to Fifth

Let's look at the blocks closest to the arena. Along Flatbush between Atlantic and Fifth avenues, as shown in the slide below, there'd be a concrete bus boarding island serving the northbound land stretching from Atlantic Avenue past Pacific Street. 

That leaves one lane for northbound traffic and, closer to Atlantic, a parking lane, while past Pacific Street a former bus stop with a proposed "No Standing Anytime" regulation, which means only immediate dropoff or pickup of passengers. ("No Stopping" is more restrictive.) Again, such signage has been widely ignored.

Regarding the southbound portion of Flatbush, there'd be "No Stopping Anytime" between Atlantic and Pacific, and there should be, because it would be just one lane!

Eastbound Pacific Street traffic would be required to turn right, since vehicles couldn't cross the concrete bus island. 

Along Flatbush just east of Pacific Street, there's an unmarked tan section that contains a bike corral set up to deter double-parking outside Chick-fil-A. That looks to be unscathed.  Beyond that, a second lane for traffic would be a turn lane.

From Fifth to Bergen

Continuing south on Flatbush from Fifth Avenue to Bergen Street, northbound traffic between Pacific and Dean Streets would have a single lane.

Below Dean Street, the corner would offer new pedestrian space--good for those crossing to the arena block--and space for bike parking, with a proposed No Stopping Anytime at a small space that otherwise might attract vehicles.

Southbound Flatbush, past Fifth Avenue to Dean Street, would see a former bus stop zone enhanced by a lane of pedestrian space and bike parking.

Below Dean Street, there's be a very small segment for parking, then a proposed No Stopping Anytime area. A new mid-block pedestrian crossing--with a light?--would serve a bus boarding island.

From Fourth to Atlantic

The slide below is a little confusing because the north side above Flatbush Avenue contains the large  Atlantic Terminal Mall, with Hanson Place at the top left corner.

Starting on the north side of Flatbush, the former curbside bus stop between Fourth and Atlantic avenues would be eliminated, with a No Standing Anytime regulation proposed to allow an additional northbound travel lane.

While unmarked, the tan sections at center-left offer new pedestrian spaces to ease crossing speed and safety.

Southbound on Flatbush, those tan sections at both Fourth and Atlantic also offer space for pedestrians to speed crossing and improve safety.

The former curbside bus stop would be replaced by a proposed No Standing Anytime regulation, apparently for dropoffs. Then vehicles would have to re-enter the single lane for southbound general traffic.

Streetsblog's take

In an Aug. 4 article, DOT Reveals Transformational Plan For Flatbush Ave. — But Needs To Get The Details Right, Streetsblog was generally enthusiastic, but suggested a couple of pinch points posed threats.

Streetsblog offered some more detail:

Curbside parking would be taken away from huge stretches of the avenue south of Atlantic Avenue, with the additions of loading zones and more than 14,000 square feet of painted sidewalk extensions. The draft plan adds 170 bike parking spots on 14 new bike parking areas and will potentially even close a slip lane from northbound Flatbush to northbound Carlton Avenue to make the road safer for pedestrians.

Streetsbllog quoted bus planning expert Annie Weinstock, who suggested changes north of Atlantic Avenue, such as restricting the left turn from northbound Flatbush Avenue to Livingston Street only to buses, and banning left turns from southbound Flatbush to Lafayette Avenue, given traffic back-ups. (That takes traffic past the Brooklyn Academy of Music.)

Wienstock also suggested a second general travel lane should be restored to "the street approaching Fourth Avenue and between Atlantic Avenue and Fourth Avenue," given that Flatbush lacks parallel streets as alternatives.

Commenter (and planning expert) Jonathan Cohn observed:

Not to downplay the benefits of a busway on Flatbush, but arguably a better idea is a busway on Atlantic. Flatbush is already very well served by subways; Atlantic has none. New high capacity transit on Atlantic could connect new mixed-use development in Crown Heights, the developing commercial corridor on Atlantic, the medical center at Hicks, an entrance to Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, all places in need of high capacity public transit. Flatbush needs a bikeway.