Streetfilms: The Transformation of Grand Army Plaza

In the second installment of his "Street Transformations" series (here’s the first), Clarence Eckerson shows the progress underway at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza. The package of pedestrian and bicycle improvements you see in the video was first unveiled by DOT last spring. Says Clarence:

As one gentleman said to me while
admiring the new greenery and traffic islands in Grand Army Plaza,
“Wow, sometimes government does work!” It’s easy to quickly forget how
things were, but we here at Streetfilms aim to not let that
happen. Check out these extraordinary before/afters; especially the new
separated bike lane which safely transports riders from Prospect Park.

How’d we get here? Check out: Grand Army Traffic Survey, Reclaiming Grand Army, Minding the GAP.

What’s next for this iconic public space? Some ideas are sure to surface from the Re-inventing Grand Army Plaza competition, which is set to review proposals this month.

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StreetFilms: Reclaiming Grand Army Plaza

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Reclaiming Grand Army Plaza A StreetFilm by Sean Clifford Running time: 5 minutes 40 seconds The Grand Army Plaza Coalition formed in the Spring of 2006 to begin to re-envision GAP as the great public space it was designed to be. A community-driven, grassroots project, GAPco is a prime example of how New York City’s […]

Pedestrian and Bike Improvements Coming to Grand Army Plaza

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Current configuration Proposed changes Here’s a look at the proposal the DOT gave to Brooklyn’s Community Board 6 on March 29th regarding safety improvements at Grand Army Plaza. The plan’s highlights include: Three new concrete islands (5,900 square feet) 2,300 square feet of new landscaping Removing a travel lane on Eastern Parkway Providing a Class […]

DOT Minds the GAP

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With city workers pouring concrete in the background (and StreetFilms’ cameras rolling), New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced pedestrian and cyclist improvements for Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza yesterday. The plan calls for 11,000 square feet of new, landscaped pedestrian islands, a separated bike path, new crosswalks and pedestrian signals. The redesign […]

Streetfilms: Talking Traffic Safety at the Home of Vision Zero

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Clarence Eckerson shot this great interview with Mary Beth Kelly of Families for Safe Streets and Claes Tingvall, director of traffic safety for the Swedish Transport Administration. On Queen Street in Stockholm, a car-free plaza once “choked” with vehicle traffic, and standing within sight of the parliament building where Vision Zero took shape in the […]

Watch New Yorkers Using the 33rd Street Plaza With Streetfilms

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Catch it while you can. Before the temporary plaza on 33rd Street at Seventh Avenue closes on October 3, Clarence Eckerson Jr. of Streetfilms stopped by to grab video of New Yorkers enjoying some breathing room in one of Midtown’s most crowded corners. The plaza was installed in July, along with a temporary sidewalk extension on 32nd Street between […]