Prospect Park will add more space for pedestrians and cyclists

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, Prospect Park and Central Park welcome millions of visitors every year. Although Central Park tops the list of the most popular parks in New York City, Prospect Park was the clear favorite of Olmsted and Vaux. This year, Brooklyn's prime green space is getting a much-needed makeover. 

Starting this week, the NYC Department of Transportation begins repaving a 3.3-mile loop on the eastern portion of Park Drive that runs from Park Circle to Grand Army Plaza. This section of the park would get fresh asphalt for the first time in nearly a decade, Gothamist reports. Other improvements to the East Side Drive also include expanding the existing pedestrian lane and adding a second one on the far side of the loop. Cyclists would also get more space.

"Prospect Park hosts visitors of all kinds every day, and we're excited to work with our partners at the Prospect Park Alliance and NYC DOT on reimagining the Prospect Park Drive,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “This park is truly Brooklyn's backyard, and we are dedicated to creating safe and enjoyable shared spaces.”

These changes to one of the most popular Brooklyn parks are the result of the year-long Park Drive Safety Study. The study, conducted by leading traffic consultancy Sam Schwartz in partnership with NYC Parks and NYC DOT, analyzed crash data, pedestrian counts, roadway grade, existing crossings and signals, and visitor correspondence to determine necessary changes. 

The DOT crews began the work on Monday, Match 12. It takes place from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. to minimize the disruption for park users. The repaving will take approximately five weeks. NYC Parks would monitor the improvements to East Side Drive for 18 months to decide whether to implement similar changes to the west side of the park.  

"Creating safe streets for pedestrians and cyclists alike must always be an ongoing, collaborative process, and I'm happy to see a prime example of that right here in Brooklyn's Prospect Park," said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. "By coming together to identify and solve issues affecting the safety of Park Drive, members of the community, Prospect Park Alliance, city agencies, and additional partners are helping rebuild our roadways around the people who love to use them.”

Resources:

“Prospect Park Alliance, NYC DOT + NYC Parks Release Park Drive Safety Study DOT Announces Plans to Repave and Pilot Lane Reconfiguration on East Drive,” (NYC DOT, 2023)

“Prospect Park is about to get safer for cyclists and joggers,” by Shaye Weaver (Time Out, 2023)

“Prospect Park loop to get fresh asphalt, redesign for pedestrians and cyclists,” by Stephen Nessen (Gothamist, 2023)

“City pilot will add more pedestrian space to Prospect Park’s roadway,” by Aaron Ginsburg (6sqft, 2023)