{"id":803,"date":"2025-08-26T13:10:41","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T17:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/shahana-hanif\/?p=803"},"modified":"2025-09-02T13:18:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T17:18:09","slug":"dangerous-atlantic-avenue-crossing-near-brooklyn-bridge-park-is-now-safer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/shahana-hanif\/2025\/08\/26\/dangerous-atlantic-avenue-crossing-near-brooklyn-bridge-park-is-now-safer\/","title":{"rendered":"Dangerous Atlantic Avenue crossing near Brooklyn Bridge Park is now safer"},"content":{"rendered":"

BrooklynEagle<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 By\u00a0Mary Frost\u00a0| Published August 26, 2025<\/p>\n

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS \u2014 The New York City Department of Transportation has completed improvements on two pedestrian intersections on Atlantic Avenue<\/a> around the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway entrance and exit ramps \u2014 dangerous crossings for pedestrians trying to enter Brooklyn Bridge Park from the avenue.<\/p>\n

The improvements include a new pedestrian island at Furman Street, expansion of the pedestrian island at Columbia Street, new signal timing to give pedestrians dedicated crossing time, the installation of audible pedestrian signals and other tweaks, according to state Sen. Andrew Gounardes. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor too long, the street has been designed to put speed over safety, with deadly results,\u201d Gounardes said in a release. \u201cThese safety upgrades, along with new murals <\/a>and lighting installed at the BQE underpass, thanks to the work of the Atlantic Avenue [Business Improvement District], are helping to transform this street from a dangerous car-centric throughway to a safe community corridor designed to put people first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community leaders and elected officials have long been calling<\/a> for safety improvements on Atlantic Avenue after years of tragic deaths and fiery crashes. Despite a speed limit of 25 mph, the avenue acts as a de facto highway leading to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway\u2019s entrance and exit ramps. Shanti Joyner<\/a>, age 18, and Katherine Harris<\/a>, 31, are among those who lost their lives on that stretch of the street. <\/p>\n

In April 2023, community organizations and elected officials \u2014 including Gounardes, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Councilmembers Lincoln Restler and Shahana Hanif, the Atlantic Avenue BID, and the Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Brooklyn Heights associations \u2014 sent a host of traffic-calming ideas<\/a> to DOT. In July 2024, the agency announced it would begin work<\/a> on many of these suggestions, and several have been implemented, including installing mid-block traffic crossings and now, improving the pedestrian space around the BQE ramps.<\/p>\n

Advocates say even more changes are needed to improve street safety.<\/p>\n

Atlantic Avenue \u201cis like I-95 running through your neighborhood,\u201d Kelly Carroll, Executive Director of the Atlantic Avenue BID, said at a gathering<\/a> in July 2024 commemorating the dead and celebrating DOT\u2019s agreement to make improvements.<\/p>\n

[See full article here<\/a>]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BrooklynEagle<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 By\u00a0Mary Frost\u00a0| Published August 26, 2025<\/p>\n

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS \u2014 The New York City Department of Transportation has completed improvements on two pedestrian intersections on Atlantic Avenue<\/a> around the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway entrance and exit ramps \u2014 dangerous crossings for pedestrians trying to enter Brooklyn Bridge Park from the avenue.<\/p>\n

The improvements include a new pedestrian island at Furman Street, expansion of the pedestrian island at Columbia Street, new signal timing to give pedestrians dedicated crossing time, the installation of audible pedestrian signals and other tweaks, according to state Sen.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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