Grand Army Plaza Seeks Input On Car-Free Future: Report

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — The days of waiting for two light changes to cross through Grand Army Plaza may be forever in the past as the city's Department of Transportation is reportedly considering making the historic entrance to Prospect Park car-free.

DOT announced a series of outreach sessions to solicit feedback and ideas from the public regarding long term capital visions for Grand Army Plaza, as part of a larger Prospect Heights Public Space Study, one of which will be this Saturday at the Grand Army Plaza Farmer’s Market.

One idea DOT deputy commissioner Eric Beaton told WNYC/Gothamist the agency is considering is returning the plaza to the people by making it car-free.

“We want to take it to the next level and not just have it be reliant on people moving barriers at certain times of day, but having these turn into more consistent and better designed public spaces,” Beaton told Gothamist, adding that no idea, including a car-free plaza, was off the table.

The open space would reportedly connect to the Open Streets on Vanderbilt and Underhill Avenues, according to Gothamist, with Beaton adding that he hopes he can fund any proposed work through a previously announce nearly $1 billion investment for street improvements the Mayor announced earlier this year.

Over the past 10 years, there have been 128 traffic crashes around Grand Army Plaza, resulting in a whopping 182 injuries, according to Crashmapper/DOT data.

In May, Prospect Heights Council Member Crystal Hudson helped pen a letter imploring DOT to make safety improvements to Grand Army Plaza.

Currently the plaza is undergoing a just-under $9 million restoration. The Prospect Park Alliance, who is heading the work along with the city's parks department, could not say how the DOT's larger capital plans would affect the restoration work.

(Update: A DOT spokesperson emailed Patch at 4:35 p.m. Friday to state that the department is not seeking one particular plan over another at the moment.

The government agency representative also stated that it could be a year before proposals come together, noting that the DOT had nothing to presently say how future capital plans could impact currently ongoing major capital project.)

You can learn more and share your ideas with DOT in person this weekend at the Grand Army Plaza farmer's market from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., or at a virtual session on Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m.