Traffic Study is Next Step for Downtown Brooklyn Plan

BROOKLYN, NY-The Downtown Brooklyn Plan was certified and now it will face a public review process. The expansion project could bring 5.4 million sf of commercial space and 1,000 housing units to the area. The key challenges are possible traffic problems and attracting big-name businesses.

To deal with the traffic concerns, the Department of Transportation will begin an in-depth study. Downtown Brooklyn Council executive director Michael Burke tells GlobeSt.com that a city-hired traffic coordinator is expected to release findings from a survey by the end of 2004. “A tremendous amount of work has been done,” Burke says. “This is a long-term plan–a traffic survey will be a huge step forward.”

While developers will make their own efforts toward marketing the area, Burke anticipates that there will be a public-private cooperation toward that regard, as well. A comprehensive plan for a marketing effort will also be completed by the end of next year with the goal of making the area more attractive for office and retail development.