Residents Say DOT Traffic Plan for Pier 6 Entrance Not Good Enough

Pedestrian safety improvements and traffic calming measures for the entrance to Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park were presented to residents by the Department of Transportation Thursday night - and although everyone agreed work should start right away, most residents decried the changes as not substantive.

"A big idea solution is what's necessary," said Judi Francis, President of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund. "If we don't go further we will not fully realize the great park that we have."

The transportation committee voted unanimously to support the proposed changes, but with an amendment that called on DOT to go consider some of the many suggestions from the community.

"Let's approve this interim plan," said community board member Jerry Armer. But "strongly as possible urge DOT to go back to the drawing board and come back with ideas and improvements."

DOT's proposed changes, presented by project manager Ted Wright, include:

- Rerouting the B63 bus into the park around the 1 Brooklyn Bridge Park housing development.

- Changing the "no right on red" timing and signal timing at the entrance to the BQE on Atlantic Avenue.

- Moving the greenway bike path into the street and off the sidewalk at Columbia Street and Atlantic Avenue.

- Creating more pedestrian crosswalks.

- Reducing the number of traffic lanes on Columbia Street.

Concerns from residents were varied:

Sandy Balboza of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association was concerned about all the tour buses entering the park.

Roy Sloane of the Cobble Hill Association said the "no turn on red" signs at the BQE entrance would not make the road any safer.

"That sign is not going to do it," he said.

Barbara Brookhart of the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association said the plan to paint epoxy and gravel on the streets to delineate bike lanes and crosswalks wasn't sufficient for safety.

Wright stressed the proposed plans were just first steps, while also saying the DOT hoped the have the project completed by the end of the summer.

For her part, Francis called the plans "baby steps."

"There's a major opportunity here that we're missing," she said.

For Wright, a Boerum Hill resident, safety comes first, but bringing the park further into the city streets is also important.

"It's a beautiful park. Let's push it up a little bit further, and beautify Atlantic Avenue."

Residents agree park access is important.

"This is a nice interim solution," said Sloane. "But this is not the entrance the residents of South Brooklyn deserve."

The executive committee of Community Board 6 must first approve the changes. That committee meets Thursday, July 14.