The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership has unveiled the Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan, which proposes a series of transformative and achievable measures that will take Downtown Brooklyn from outmoded central business district created around car use, to a citywide leader in designing public spaces that prioritize people and the environment.
Since its 2004 rezoning, Downtown Brooklyn has grown to become a mixed-use neighborhood with over 50,000 residents and 5,000+ school aged kids. The current streetscape does not meet the needs of its primary users — pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit riders.
The plan focuses on the streets between Willoughby and Schermerhorn Streets north and south of the Fulton Mall, mapping a core network of shared streets, new public spaces, and increased biodiversity with 1,000 new trees- with the goals of making Downtown Brooklyn a more livable neighborhood for all.
The Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Plan proposes the following recommendations:
- Transform Columbus Park, Albee Square + Fleet Street, and University Place into public spaces that are inviting communal gathering places;
- Reimagine Adams Street as a signature multi-modal boulevard that builds upon DOT’s upgrades to the Brooklyn Bridge, creating a more connected and protected bicycle network so commuters can travel safely to and from Manhattan;
- Pedestrianize the Downtown Brooklyn core by widening sidewalks and creating a network of curb-less shared streets;
- Plant 1,000 new trees using in-ground and raised planters, and incorporate green walls and rain gardens to improve air quality and reduce urban heat island effect;
- Re-evaluate the Fulton/Livingston bus network – adjusting routes to maximize efficiency, alleviate congestion and enhance the pedestrian experience.
Find out more here.
