On Wednesday, December 8, PHNDC presented a public forum on traffic issues experienced since the start of arena construction at Atlantic Yards, as well as those impacts expected to occur at the time of the Barclays Center opening in 2012. Representatives from PHNDC were joined by Ryan Lynch, senior planner from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, as well as Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and Councilmember Letitia James.

Of particular concern to PHNDC and audience members is the potential for significant additional traffic in the neighborhood being induced by new parking facilities serving the arena. Such faciliities are currently planned to include a 1,100-car surface parking lot located on the block bordered by Dean Street, Carlton Avenue, Pacific Street and Vanderbilt Avenue (shown in rendering above). Gib Veconi of PHNDC discussed the potential for additional parking facilities to open on underutilized lots outside of the Atlantic Yards footprint. He also discussed the opportunity to limit the spread of parking facilities through changes in zoning of vulnerable lots.

Tom Boast of PHNDC member Carlton Avenue Association presented the case for a residential permit parking (RPP) program to be implemented in Prospect Heights. RPP can help discourage parking on local streets during arena events. Councilmember James spoke in support of such a program for Prospect Heights. Both she and Assemblyman Jeffries discussed plans for legislative action authorizing RPP in central Brooklyn, as well as the intention to hold further public meetings to solicit local opinion.

Ryan Lynch spoke on the need for a regional transportation plan to establish long-term strategies for parking management, traffic calming, mass transit investment and demand management.

PHNDC's presentation is available for viewing here.

(Photo credit: Jonathan Barkey)