People Love It
Community voices, expert opinions, and social media reactions to the Grand Army Plaza redesign.
Advocates & Experts
Doug Gordon, War on Cars Podcast
“This is huge news. Depending on how it shakes out it could be the biggest and best change to Brooklyn streets in decades.”
Transportation Alternatives
“We don’t have to accept the status quo as normal — we can build streets for all by prioritizing people, not cars. We look forward to working with DOT as they begin this outreach process.”
— Juan Restrepo, Senior Organizer Via Transportation Alternatives
Kathy Park Price, Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn Organizer
“There is a major safety gap at GAP and the current design doesn’t serve anyone.”
“Grand Army Plaza is one of New York City’s most iconic and busiest public spaces, and residents have spoken clearly: After decades of car-centric planning, it’s time to return Grand Army Plaza to people. With bold action, Grand Army Plaza can truly become an extension of Prospect Park and a public space worthy of Brooklyn.”
Liz Carollo, GrowNYC Greenmarket Director
“The actual space itself, bordering Prospect Park, across the street from the library, the museum, the Botanic Garden, the zoo, is truly the heart of Brooklyn.”
Elected Officials
Council Members Crystal Hudson & Shahana Hanif
In May 2022, the two council members whose districts overlap at Grand Army Plaza wrote to DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez:
“The area is in a state of disrepair — defined by endless traffic, poor sidewalk conditions, broken benches, and overflowing trash cans and litter. Our offices have received multiple calls and emails in recent months about injuries resulting from the poor conditions.”
“The site has seen numerous pedestrian injuries and crashes in recent years, including a 2021 incident in which a woman and her 1-year-old son were hit by a car at the intersection of Plaza Street West and Berkeley Place.”
Former DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan
“For too long, Grand Army Plaza has been an 11-acre vicious circle of traffic.”
Community Workshop Voices
These quotes come from DOT community workshops and listening sessions held in 2022-2024.
Parents & Families
“I’m a parent with young kids. My kids like the fountain, but it’s terrifying to get to it. [We] need much safer crossings and fewer cars.”
General Consensus
“The current layout doesn’t work for anyone.”
“Confusing, complex and dangerous.”
— Common themes from breakout group discussions
Accessibility Advocates
“Simplify. Fewer intersections = fewer collisions, fewer crosswalks to navigate, better for differently abled. Prioritize. Pedestrians > Buses > bikes > cars.”
Climate & Car-Free Advocates
Several participants stressed climate concerns and advocated for a car-free future.
Noise Concerns
A couple of people who live near the park expressed frustration with loud music and feared that expanding pedestrian spaces could worsen the noise.
Pedestrian-Cyclist Tensions
Some participants said they felt “under threat” by cyclists while walking.
Resident Reactions (2024)
Karen Miller, Park Slope
“I walk to work. I get my steps in. I feel good when I get to work.”
Rachel Wong, Area Resident
“I would love it to be more pedestrian friendly, but I feel like the drivers would get so pissed off at us.”
Edan Saltz, Downtown Brooklyn
“If you are going to take streets to convert them into pedestrian, while it is great for pedestrians, it might impede on those who are making deliveries and drivers and how it will affect the traffic pattern.”
On one-way conversions:
“I saw what happened in Manhattan in terms of converting the streets to one-way, that’s actually a wonderful idea.”
Nat Nickels, Long-time Resident
“Be a participant, something that looks good on paper may not work out for someone that lives here, works here, has to travel, do business and has to exist in this environment.”
Anonymous Resident (Vanderbilt Ave concerns)
One woman expressed concern that converting Vanderbilt Avenue to one-way would be “bizarre.”
Survey Results
2022 DOT Survey
2,077 people participated in the Grand Army Plaza Public Realm survey. Key findings:
- 78% want additional protected pedestrian space
- 78% dislike interaction points with vehicles
- 73% lived within 1.5 miles of the plaza
- 87% walk to Grand Army Plaza
In open-ended responses:
- 215+ explicitly asked for a car-free plaza
- 445 (the largest group) requested large-scale changes
Via NYC DOT Workshop Summary, November 2022
2022 Poll (1,085 NYC Adults)
- 60% supported pedestrianizing Grand Army Plaza
- 19% opposed
- 21% didn’t know
After seeing a car-free vision rendering:
- Support shot up to 74%
Petition Support
2,000+ neighbors signed the Transportation Alternatives #SaferGrandArmy petition.
Via Transportation Alternatives
The “Hall of Shame” Designation
Project for Public Spaces included Grand Army Plaza in their “Hall of Shame” for failed public spaces:
“Grand Army Plaza is one of the most car-oriented intersections in Brooklyn, a place most people try to avoid even though it links commercial Flatbush Avenue with Prospect Park.”
“The main reason behind Grand Army Plaza’s failure as a public space is the excessive street capacity devoted to traffic. There are no more than two lanes going in either direction at any entry point, yet the road unnecessarily expands to six lanes in the middle of the plaza.”
“The crosswalks which exist from the inner plaza to the surrounding sidewalks leave one stranded in the middle, having to make a run across multiple lanes of traffic and hope for good luck!”
“The inner plaza is isolated and feels a bit unsafe due to lack of people.”
Historical Voices
The “Death-O-Meter” (1927)
Grand Army Plaza has been recognized as dangerous for nearly a century. In 1927, Brooklyn authorities installed a “Death-O-Meter” — a sign that tracked traffic injuries and fatalities at the plaza to discourage speeding.
Robert Witherwax, Grand Army Plaza Coalition (2010)
“DOT is excellent about coming to the community, presenting to the community, working with the community, and getting the proper sign-offs from the community.”
On the 2010-2011 redesign plan:
“A huge step forward.”
Terra Ishee, Director of DOT Pedestrian Unit (2022)
“I’ve been working on Grand Army Plaza for 15 years. We’ve done all that we feel like we can do with the resources we have in-house, so we really need to bump it up and make it a full blown capital project.”
Via Streetsblog NYC, November 2022
Visitor Reviews
TripAdvisor & Yelp Highlights
“Very impressive arch, its placement in the traffic circle allows it to dominate over the street.”
“It can be noisy at times because of all the cars on Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway.”
“What I love most is the energy. It’s where Brooklyn shows off a little, but still feels grounded.”
“Like the neighborhood’s front porch.”
One visitor who “finally took the time to walk around” the monument noted:
“Although Flatbush Avenue is incomparable to Champs Elysees, the surrounding is still quite remarkable and offers a sense of pomp and stateliness to Brooklyn.”
Via TripAdvisor and Yelp
Media Coverage
The Stuyvesant Spectator (February 2026)
“Originally designed by Olmsted and Vaux in 1867 as a ‘complete street’ welcoming pedestrians… the plaza has deteriorated into a traffic-focused roundabout over the past century.”
Student journalist Paloma Wilkinson makes the case for reclaiming Grand Army Plaza, citing the 139 injuries over the past decade and drawing parallels to successful transformations at Washington Square Park and Columbus Circle.
Gothamist (November 2022)
“The Department of Transportation is considering remaking Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza as a car-free public space, in what would arguably be the Adams administration’s biggest shakeup yet to the dominance of the automobile on the city’s streets.”
Brownstoner (November 2022)
“The plaza, centered on the 50-foot-tall Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch, sits at the northwestern tip of Prospect Park… The designers intended the elliptical plaza to be a majestic entrance to the park, an oasis away from the city’s hustle and grime.”
CBS New York
Headline: “Should Grand Army Plaza go car-free? DOT, safe streets advocates ask neighbors to weigh in”
The Bottom Line
The voices are clear: people want a safer, more accessible Grand Army Plaza. Whether advocating for a fully car-free space or just asking for basic safety improvements, the consistent message is that the current design doesn’t work.
139 injuries in a decade. A “Hall of Shame” designation. Parents afraid to bring their kids to the fountain. It’s time for change.
Add Your Voice
Have a quote or story to share? Email us at hello@grandarmyforpeople.org