Grand Army/Prospect Heights Public Realm Plan
Update for Community Boards 6, 8 & 9
April 15, 2024
Project Overview
nyc.gov/dot
Public Realm Capital Planning
DOT & DDC are collaborating on a $1.8M Capital Project Scope Development (CPSD) study for:
Grand Army Plaza Vanderbilt Ave Open Street Underhill Ave Bike Blvd
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What is a CPSD Study?
The CPSD program is a way to clearly determine project scope, cost, and other key factors before construction capital dollars are committed.
Typically reserved for larger-scale projects with substantial unknowns, which may influence cost and feasibility.
Includes: • Traffic study
• Traffic study • 30% design documents
• 30% design documents • Preliminary landscape design
• Community and stakeholder outreach • 3 design alternatives with accurate construction
• Preliminary landscape design • Community and stakeholder outreach
• 3 design alternatives with accurate construction cost estimates
Allen + Pike Streets, MN
Planning Coordination
Ongoing & Future Initiatives:
nyc.gov/dot
Brooklyn Museum
What locations are being studied?
Grand Army Plaza
Plaza St East and West
Vanderbilt Avenue
Atlantic Ave to Grand Army Plaza
Underhill Avenue
Pacific St* to Eastern Pkwy *Atlantic to Pacific block included in Washington Ave Capital Plan
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CPSD Schedule
‘22 Summer-Study Funded
‘22 Fall-Initial Outreach/Workshops
‘23 Summer-DDC onboarded Design Consultant
‘23 Fall – ’24 Spring-Traffic Study Ongoing
‘24 Spring-Community Engagement – April Joint CB Meeting
- In-person workshops & Surveys (May-June)
- Preliminary Design
‘24 Summer/Fall-Community Presentation
- Design Refinement
‘24 Fall/Winter
- Final Concepts Community Presentation
- Conclude Study & Report, Present to OMB
- Identify Paths for Capital Funding nyc.gov/dot
Community Engagement
nyc.gov/dot
Demographic Overview Prospect Park Surrounding Communities
Prospect Park Surrounding Communities (2017 - 2021 ACS)
Grand Army Plaza and the surrounding area draws people from and influences a large portion of Brooklyn
Demographics
Race & Hispanic Origin
COMMUTE TO WORK (MEAN TRAVEL TIME: 42 MINS)
nyc.gov/dot
*Data Source: 2017-2020 American Community Survey (ACS) NYC Planning Labs. NYC Planning Population Fact Finder. New York City Department of City Planning.
Grand Army Plaza Nov 2022 Virtual Workshop
Nov 2022 Virtual Workshop
• Approx. 270 members of public attended, 72% of them were residents in Park Slope or Prospect Heights
• Identified need for additional outreach to other neighborhoods
Highlights from participant feedback on CPSD Study:
Fall/Winter 2022 Online Survey
• Study of park space in addition to roadway space • Comprehensive outreach strategy to stakeholders
• Comprehensive outreach strategy to stakeholders
• 2,077 people participated in the Grand Army Plaza Public Realm survey. • Most respondents (over 91%) who participated in
• Most respondents (over 91%) who participated in this survey were residents of Brooklyn, approximately 73% of respondents live within 1.5 miles of Grand Army Plaza
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• The most selected item (78%) that respondents want to see implemented in Grand Army plaza is additional protected pedestrian space
Key findings:
• The most identified item (78%) that respondents do not like about Grand Army Plaza is the interaction points with vehicles • A majority of respondents (87%) walk to Grand
• A majority of respondents (79%) like the current programming in the plaza (i.e. Green Market)
Vanderbilt Ave + Underhill Ave
Feb – May 2021 | Community feedback survey
• 1,468 responses
• Majority (86%) of respondents wanted to see permanent changes to make Prospect Heights Open Streets pedestrian and/or cycling priority corridors.
• Strolling (94%) and outdoor dining (84%) were the top activities respondents wanted to use Prospect Heights Open Streets for
Sept 2021 | 3 Community Workshops
• Pedestrian plaza (49%), traffic diverters (43%) and shared streets (38%) were the top public space toolkit items the public wanted to see implemented
Nov 2021 | Virtual Visioning Workshop • Identifying ideas and opportunities in the
May 2022 | 2 Community Workshops
Underhill Ave key takeaways: • Strong desire to see design solutions that
• Strong desire to see design solutions that codify bike and pedestrian priority • Need for dedicated loading and delivery
• Need for dedicated loading and delivery space on the corridor
• Positive feedback on removing metal barriers as a tool kit solution
Vanderbilt Ave key takeaways:
• Strong desire to see design solutions that reflect full closure operations on weekends
• Need for dedicated loading and delivery space on the corridor • Positive feedback on improving Atlantic &
2021 – 2023 | CB Presentations + other focused engagement
• Positive feedback on improving Atlantic & Vanderbilt intersection
Fall 2023 | Post-implementation Underhill community outreach
A New Public Realm Vision
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A New Public Realm Vision
Goals for Capital Design
1. Create world class public space 2. Improve pedestrian connections around
and through Grand Army Plaza 3. Reinforce and support Open Street and
Bike Boulevard operations on Vanderbilt Ave and Underhill Ave
4. Improve and strengthen bicycle connections
5. Speed up bus operations 6. Simplify traffic operations and maintain
vehicular access
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Spectrum of Ideas (Grand Army)
“As Is”
Build Out Existing Painted Spaces
• No changes to traffic operations • No changes to open spaces
• No changes to open spaces
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Big Changes
Consolidate Flatbush Traffic
• SB Flatbush traffic shifted to east side of plaza • Union St traffic diverted around north
• Union St traffic diverted around north side of plaza, unifying open spaces 14
Spectrum of Ideas (Vanderbilt Ave)
Less Change, More Management
Maintain Two-Way Travel
More Change, Less Management
• Narrow roadway and maintain flexible curb lane • Capital improvements to facilitate
• Capital improvements to facilitate open street, i.e. better barriers/gateway treatments
Continuous One-Way Southbound
Conversion to Slow Streets
• Volume reduction to facilitate slow/shared streets • Combination of two-way travel or
• Combination of two-way travel or one way travel with contraflow bus
Safety, Pedestrian, and Cyclist Improvements (Underhill Ave)
Built Out Traffic Calming Raised Intersections
nyc.gov/dot
What comes next?
Spring 2024
• Restart community engagement (April) • In-person workshops
• Preliminary design
Summer/Fall 2024
• Community presentation of initial designs • Refine design
Fall/Winter 2024
• Final concepts presentation to community • Conclude study + complete report
• Identify paths for construction funding
nyc.gov/dot
Thank You!
NYCDOT nyc_dot nyc_dot NYCDOT
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