Spring

2015 Prospect Park Drives Closure

Information & Alternatives Analysis

New York City Department of Transportation

Park Drives: Existing Traffic Management

• West Drive (Southbound) is

open to motor vehicles:

Monday through Friday

(except holidays), 5–7 p.m.

• East Drive (Northbound) is

open to motor vehicles:

Monday through Friday

(except holidays), 7–9 a.m.

• The Park Drive is closed to

motorists at all other times

N

2

5-7 p.m.

weekday Vehicle Access

7-9 a.m.

weekday Vehicle Access

502

549

226

394

233

418

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

July 2006 July 2010 September 2013

• Motor vehicle volumes

on Park Drives have

declined significantly

since 2006

475

600

525

225

400

350

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

GAP/3rd Ave WestDrive Entrance

GAP East Drive Exit Park Circle Entrance

July 2006

July 2010

Declining Motor Vehicle Traffic in Park

West Drive

Southbound (PM) East Drive

Northbound (AM)

Pe

ak H

ou

r V

olu

me (

vp

h)

3

Volume is the peak hour during the AM (7-9 am) and PM (5-7 pm) periods when

drives are open to motor vehicles.

Assessment: West Drive (Southbound)

• P.M. Peak 230 vph diverted

• Diverted traffic with be

accommodated with minor signal

timing changes

1. Prospect Park West Has the capacity to accommodate

diverted traffic (from ~1,000/hr to

1,200/hr in two lanes)

2. Bartel Pritchard Circle Minor reallocation of green time to

handle extra traffic around the circle

3. Prospect Park Southwest Minor reallocation of green time to

handle extra traffic

4. Park Circle West drive exit would no longer

need to be signalized

Green time reallocation to Prospect

Park Southwest leg

N

4

230 vph

P.M.

LEGEND Current West Drive Traffic

Diverted Traffic

1

2

3

4

Assessment: East Drive (Northbound)

• A.M. Peak 420 vph diverted

• Adjacent roadways are high crash

with high volumes of pedestrians and

transit use (5 bus lines, 1 limited)

• Diverted traffic causes unacceptable

operations on neighborhood streets

with minimal ability to improve

• Diversion causes additional left-turn

conflicts with pedestrians

1. Parkside Ave & Ocean Ave

2. Parkside Ave & Flatbush Ave

3. Ocean Ave & Flatbush Ave

4. Empire Blvd & Washington Ave

N

5

420vph

A.M.

4 3

2 1

LEGEND Current East Drive Traffic

Diverted Traffic

Recommendation

Partial Closure-West Drive closed & East

Drive remains open • Large benefit to park users

• Eliminates dangerous condition where

pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists share the

West Drive during dark hours (5-7pm) for

approx. half the year

• Minimal added delay if minor signal timing

adjustments are made

6

7-9 a.m.

weekday Vehicle Access

Car Free

Recommended

Partial Closure Minimal Impact SB Traffic

Questions? Thank

You