Brooklyn's Progress
December 2001

Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) secured $1 million for a transportation study that will ensure greater access to the Brooklyn Bridge Park while reducing vehicular traffic to a minimum by developing alternative infrastructure. "The park, which will be located at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, stretching over a mile from DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) to Atlantic Avenue, will create much needed public access to the waterfront," said Velázquez. "This area has seen a major economic downturn over the decades, and this waterfront park will bring new life to what is currently a very underutilized space." The waterfront park will not only provide New York residents with much needed open and recreational space, but it will also draw visitors from other areas, so developing alternative means of transportation is key. The State of New York has already committed $85 million and the City of New York $65 million to the development and construction of the park. In addition, approximately $400 million in private investment is anticipated, and the park is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs. The Congresswoman's funding request was included in the 2002 Transportation Appropriations bill for the purpose of conducting a park-related transportation analysis. Through preliminary work on this issue, it is clear that increased vehicular traffic was not desirable due to parking demands and concerns about air quality. Alternative- forms of transportation to increase the park's public use - including easier subway access through the creation of a pedestrian tunnel, bikes with greenway connections, electric trolleys, and jitney buses - have been discussed. "But the informed decisions needed to draw up a transportation plan can only be made when a more detailed analysis of the alternatives can be conducted," said Velázquez. "Transportation and public access are key to the success of the park, and this funding will be used to study what will enable people to get to and from the park in the most environmentally sensitive and cost-effective way." The Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC), a community-based local development corporation, was created in 1998 to spearhead the effort to reuse the downtown Brooklyn waterfront as a park. BBPDC led a two-year long public planning effort which culminated in a Master Plan for Brooklyn Bridge Park, endorsed by more than 30 community, neighborhood and and civic organizations. BBPDC President Joanne Witty said, "The $1 million in funding secured by Representative Velázquez will propel Brooklyn Bridge Park forward. Brooklyn Bridge Park is founded on a public-private partnership that will create open space while serving as an economic stimulus for the region. We expect the park to create more than 1,000 permanent jobs and generate at least $20 million in annual tax revenue for the city and state. The funds will allow us to develop an effective transportation plan to ensure maximum public access to the park." The BBPDC has been specifically charged with addressing the re-use of the 67 acres of publicly owned property stretching 1.3 miles along the waterfront from Atlantic Avenue to north of the Manhattan Bridge.