BROOKLYN, May 29, 2012 – Today, City Council Members Stephen Levin, Letitia James and Brad Lander announced the Barclays Center Neighborhood Protection Plan (NPP), a set of coordinated initiatives aimed at mitigating safety and quality of life impacts expected to result from locating the Brooklyn arena within residential neighborhoods.

Elected officials, local residents cite speeding through traffic, coming impacts of Barclays Center as requiring new solutions

The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council today announced that its application to the New York City Department of Transportation for a Neighborhood Slow Zone (NSZ) in Prospect Heights has received the support of Community Board 8, Councilmember Letitia James, Assembly members Hakeem Jeffries and Joan Millman, and State Senators Velmanette Montgomery and Eric Adams.

On February 3, 2012, the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council submitted an application to the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) for a "Prospect Heights Neighborhood Slow Zone". The streets to be included in the slow zone are shown in blue on the map above. In addition, PHNDC has asked the DOT to include the Eastern Parkway service road from Washington Avenue to Plaza Street as part of the Slow Zone after receiving strong support in a petition from residents living on or near Eastern Parkway. 

Neighborhood Slow Zones (NSZ) are a DOT program that reduces the speed limit from 30 mph to 20 mph and adds safety measures within a select area in order to change driver behavior. The ultimate goal of the Neighborhood Slow Zone program is to lower the incidence and severity of crashes and to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Slow Zones also seek to enhance quality of life by reducing cut-through traffic and traffic noise in residential neighborhoods. 

The New York City Department of Transportation recently installed a traffic signal and pedestrian crossing signals at the intersection of Park Place and Carlton Avenue. The intersection had long been considered dangerous by pedestrians due to the propensity of cars turning on to Carlton from Flatbush Avenue to roll through the stop sign at Park Place, and also due to the lack of a crosswalk across Park Place east of Carlton Avenue. The latter crossing is frequently used by people headed for the B and Q subway entrance.

In July, the Department of Transportation installed new street signs throughout the Prospect Heights Historic District. Forty-nine existing signs within the district were replaced. The new street signs will more clearly indicate the boundaries of the Historic District to residents and visitors. Historic markers, each with a map and description of the district, will be installed later this year.