Brooklyn Bridge Park Transportation Study, 3/2008

SAm SChwARTz PLLC hDR-DANIEL FRANkFURT
I. Introduction
The Downtown Brooklyn Waterfront Local Development Corporation (LDC)
retained Sam Schwartz PLLC and HDR-Daniel Frankfurt to develop alternatives and
recommendations to improve non-automobile access to the future Brooklyn Bridge
Park (Park). The transportation and access study assessed potential improvements in
the following areas:
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New York City Transit (NYCT) bus routes
Pedestrian access
Bicycle routes
Shuttle bus service
Waterborne transport
Vertical pedestrian connection
Clark Street subway station
The study was prepared to review ways of enhancing transportation access beyond
what was proposed in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Master Plan and Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS). Specifically, the study did not develop recommendations or
provide comments on issues concerning circulation and access within the Park. It was
assumed that the Park would provide major at-grade connections at Old Fulton Street
and Atlantic Avenue. As indicated in the Brooklyn Bridge Park Master Plan and FEIS,
a pedestrian bridge would connect the existing Squibb Park in Brooklyn Heights to
the Park (see Figure I-1). If deemed feasible and desirable, the implementation of the
recommendations would occur independent of the Park and would require additional
reviews, approvals, and funding.
As shown in Figure I-2, the study area consists of the Park, bordered by Jay Street to
the north, Atlantic Avenue to the south, Furman Street to the west, and the Brooklyn
Heights Promenade (Promenade) to the east and immediately adjacent areas. Tasks
such as the bus route extensions and the shuttle bus service considered a broader
study area, including the Atlantic Avenue transit hub and Downtown Brooklyn.
Recommendations were developed based on an assessment of existing and future
conditions, as outlined in the FEIS. All Park visitor projections and modal split
assumptions were also based on the FEIS. Meetings were held with community
representatives; the Park designer, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates; as well as with
relevant New York City (City) and New York State (State) agencies to discuss alternatives
and their feasibility.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS STUDY
Figure I-1 Pier 1 and Squibb Park Bridge (Source: Michael Van Valkenburgh
Associates)