What if the GAP fountain was part of Prospect Park?

Another suggestion I thought was good was to cut throught the wooded section around the perimater of GAP so that the streets spoking outward would have a view of the fountain. It sort of opens up the fountain and the arch as a destination point. Additionally, they suggested utilizing those side areas for dog runs and such.

ANother good suggestion was making the green market more than once a week and establishing a permanent vendor at that location, like Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. They should invite the same guy to do it.

shake shack has a webcam to see how long the line is.

on an unrelated note, I like this addition to the park and also would like cars banned from the park as well.

I dunno - Shake Shack isn't all that. I mean it's decent...

I guess the issue is the cars. Where will the cars go? I think the most ambitious plan on the drawing board is to tunnel under GAP but it's ridiculously expensive. I think there was another plan to reroute the traffic into depressions near the berms on the sides. I think it's unfair to leave the drivers largely out of consideration - GAP is the main conduit in and out for large sections of Brooklyn. Sad but true. Honking cars backed up along Flatbush is either direction would be a lousy price to pay for a nice GAP. I'd like to see a more comprehensive plan that addresses everyone's needs.

Yeah, this plan essentially turns 8th Ave from a wide expansive street to a two way nightmare. Don't see the residents along the avenue putting up with that.

“This is not an issue for drivers,” said Faye Anderson, a resident of the area. “They can hop on the subway. This is about unsafe conditions for pedestrians.”

Looks good, but if you've ever spent 20mins stuck in traffic on Union b/w 8th and the park you can see that this would be a disaster. They'll have to come up with a way to buffer the cars.

chip wrote: Another suggestion I thought was good was to cut throught the wooded section around the perimater of GAP so that the streets spoking outward would have a view of the fountain. It sort of opens up the fountain and the arch as a destination point. Additionally, they suggested utilizing those side areas for dog runs and such.

ANother good suggestion was making the green market more than once a week

i hope they don't cut through the wooded berms. i find their height and screening function make the fountain area feel more separate from the buildings and also create little mini parks on the sides facing the buildings -- people hang out on those benches with their kids, shielded from the noise and traffic of the main circle. flat land there just wouldn't be as nice. i do wish there were paths and maybe a bench or two up there, rather than having it all fenced off. that seems a shame.

totally with you on the green market, though. i wonder how much more popular it would need to be for the organizers to keep it open another day -- even sunday, when people who work in the city are mostly at home.

my number one problem with that area is the MORONIC way the crosswalk lights are timed to cross the 2 parts of flatbush as you leave the greenmarket area and walk towards the library. there's basically no way to make it safely across both directions of traffic in one go, so that tiny island gets packed with people and strollers and dogs, surrounded by careening traffic. i can't believe more people aren't hit.

they should put in a stop gap measure for now, by putting crossing bridges for pedestrians to and from the gap.

Of course, this would be awesome. Of course, it won't happen because of the squawking about traffic issues, even though half of the drivers creating said traffic could easily ride the train or the bus. Then again, if even more people rode the trains, they'd be even cruddier and more crowded than they are now - unless they run more. So I guess what I'm saying is that any solution must begin with the absolute annihilation (or rerouting) of the G line. Everything will fall into place after that.

This plan calls for 2 way PPW and 2 way 8th avenue, as well as 2 way traffic on either side of the fountain - so instead of a rotary around the fountain, you have a four-way intersection at the north end.

Union Street would automatically clear up, and all the stacking would occur between the berms and the fountain - ie not in front of anyone's front door!

i think this makes getting around on foot so much easier - so what if it makes driving a touch more difficult?

Subject: yeah!!

better for bikers too! it's a little bit of hell getting through and around there right now.

Plus more green space. Any news on the progress of this plan?

Love the idea, can't wait. I avoid that area now because of the overcrowded islands and traffic. Plus Saturday is sleep-in day, and Sunday is shopping day. LOL If they did the farmer's market like Union Square, would be an awesome thing to have nearby every day. Especially in the spring/summer/fall. Don't see the point of it in the dead winter... but come on. We don't even have a place for local artists to sell outside like they've got at Union Square.

Totally, cause its generally shady and soooo much room. A few guys sell books there now.