Judy Stanton, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Heights Association, has contacted the City Department of Transportation about concerns over safety of pedestrians, especially with children, crossing from Atlantic Avenue to the new playground in Brooklyn Bridge Park on Pier 6. She reports:
I talked to the NYC DOT today re the accident prone approach to Pier 6 on Atlantic Avenue and, now that the playground has opened, they are well aware of the dangers and have started taking counts of cars and observing people crossing in volume. The pedestrian crossing signal was installed only a few months ago and they realize that another traffic light is going to be needed there. I am assured that they will take several measures which they will announce sometime next week. I expect they’ll remove the right turn on red privilege with signage to reinforce. They know there’ s a need [for] more than that, though. Left turning cars (coming from the west, either from Columbia Street and/or Furman) and trucks are supposed to STOP when pedestrians are crossing there, but because the Atlantic Avenue traffic light is further east up by LICH, cars and trucks are not all stopping to allow people to cross. This – to me – is even scarier especially when one is leaving Pier 6 with the left turning at your back when you cross with your light. It will take some weeks to install new electrical conduits under the AA overpass but a new traffic light there seems inevitable. They’ll reach out to the NYPD for enforcement but it’s a difficult space in which the cops (usually in a patrol car) who enforce moving violations … can situate themselves.
Ms. Stanton suggests that, until new signals and signage are installed on Atlantic, those wishing to use the playground should approach it on Joralemon Street and cross Furman Street at the light there.
