G subway service turning into shuttle bus service isn’t the only change happening in Greenpoint for the next few weeks—during the aforementioned shutdown, ‘Bedford Slip’ will be a full-time pedestrian plaza inaccessible to cars.
Bedford Slip represents the northeast section outside of McCarren Park where Lorimer, Bedford, and Nassau meet. New York City Department of Transportation data from 2019 shows the area having some of the highest foot traffic in the neighborhood, and the corner is home to popular businesses including Five Leaves, Awoke Vintage, and Forma Pasta Factory, plus the newer Brooklyn edition of Ray’s Bar across the street.
In its usual state, the triangle is frequently used for weekend pop-up markets and seasonal events like scavenger hunts and tree care, and the plaza is fully maintained by volunteers who conduct regular trainings and clean-ups. Through at least August 12, the plaza has been extended to ban left-turning traffic from Nassau to Bedford, which would then feed Manhattan Avenue. This is in hopes of reducing car congestion among shuttle buses going to and from Court Square.
The stretch of street has been closed on one-off occasions prior, but now it’s around the clock, and open street advocates are hoping it can last long after the G train resumes service (a petition to make it permanent currently has nearly 2,600 supporters). Those in opposition to the public plaza, citing concerns with increased traffic, have drafted their own petition, currently one signature shy of 500).
DOT’s main goal isn’t to make pedestrian life better it’s just to make driving worse.
They are shutting that down and not letting cards turn left onto Manhattan. Meaning there are no left turns from N12th until Ekford St. Doesn’t sound like they thought this through. Traffic on that corner of Manhattan is arguably worst now with all the buses backing everything up.