Downtown BK Blocks Slated To Be Permanent 'Shared Streets'

DOWNTOWN, BROOKLYN — A few blocks right near Willoughby Plaza could become open to pedestrians even on days when there aren't car-free events held there throughout the summer.

The city's Department of Transportation has proposed making several blocks in that area — between Fulton Street and its dead end and on Willoughby Street between Pearl and Lawrence Streets — the next permanent "Shared Street" in the city.

The initial proposal for the redesign, which will create pedestrian-space "bump-outs" along the streets edges, won the approval of Community Board 2 this week.

"This sort of meandering pathway that is created will slow down traffic so pedestrians will have the right to cross the street wherever they want and cars will be going more slowly," Transportation and Public Safety Committee Chair Juliet Cullen Cheung told board members.

Cheung explained that this area of the street is often already used for pedestrian-friendly events such as the Willoughby Walks car-free days during the summer. DOT has also put in temporary planters or bump-outs on the blocks, which are right next to the already pedestrian-only Willoughby Plaza.

The new permanent redesign would not extend the curb, but would create the bump-outs on the street itself using demarkations, planters and boulders, Cheung said.

The design is similar to the "Shared Street" that was set up on Broadway from 24th to 25th streets in Manhattan a few years ago. Just like with that design, the bump-outs will make it so that cars can still drive down the street, but will need to do so slowly to weave in and out of the new pedestrian spaces.

"While not strictly 'car free,' Shared Streets are a new and sustainable use of limited urban space," DOT has said.

The concept, which has been used in Seattle, Pittsburgh, London and Barcelona, improves safety on streets where pedestrians already outnumber cars by a large margin, officials said.

Community Board 2 approved the idea with the condition that DOT do more outreach with the community before deciding on its final design.

Cheung said that the agency has already started that outreach, but that the transportation committee suggested they also bring the designs to the upcoming Willoughby Walks to let people see an idea of what the street would look like under the redesign.

So far, the businesses along the street have also been supportive of the idea, she added. A loading zone on each of the streets will be maintained, including a section that will accommodate pick-ups for accessible vehicles used at a school on one of the streets.