Mixed Reviews For Traffic Changes On Local Streets

Two recently implemented changes to Fort Greene area streets were designed to improve safety and traffic flow, but not all locals think they’re yielding the desired results.

A jug handle turn at the intersection of Flatbush and Myrtle Avenues has drivers perplexed, according to neighbor Judy, whose short ride home from Manhattan has been taking a lot longer than usual since changes were put in place.

“The new traffic rules at the intersection of Flatbush and Myrtle [have been] snarling traffic for blocks and blocks on Flatbush,” she says. “Since the little sign went up that says ‘For East on Myrtle take the next right,’ no taxi driver I’ve ridden with can figure out how to do that, or even what the sign means. They have wandered around, looking for a place to make a U turn on Flatbush — or turned right many blocks further on Flatbush only to encounter a maze of one-way streets that make it nearly impossible to get back to Flatbush.”

For our part, when we stopped by on Thursday, we saw many drivers–including cabs–using the jug handle correctly. The DOT, who agreed to closely supervise the turn in case changes need to be reversed, says they’ve had similar experiences.

“[The] DOT continues to review this intersection and monitor vehicle behavior,” says agency representative Bonny Tsang. “This change started on August 18, less than one month ago, and DOT has observed that vehicles are beginning to adjust to the new traffic pattern.”

Of course, simply because we didn’t see any drivers attempting to turn left at the intersection without using the jug handle doesn’t mean drivers weren’t, as Judy notes, continuing straight up Flatbush in an attempt to turn elsewhere.

Farther east, changes are also causing problems for commuters on Park Avenue. Barriers designed to protect pedestrians were installed by the DOT towards the end of last week, according to the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, but DNAInfo writes that the same barriers are already causing traffic backups for local drivers. Reportedly a combination of forced U turns, three point turns, and reduced space to maneuver vehicles is rendering the changes counterproductive and dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

However, says the article, a DOT spokesperson is steadfast about positive changes the barriers will create, and Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership Executive Director Meredith Philips Almeida is trusting transportation officials to make appropriate determinations about the changes’ effectiveness.

If you’ve used either route–as a driver or pedestrian–since changes were put into place, what has your experience been? Do you already see changes for the better, do you think commuters simply need time to adjust, or do you think the DOT made a big mistake?