The Bedford Slip pedestrian plaza will remain an open street, but only on the weekends, the DOT has decided.
To reduce car congestion in light of the G train shutdown, the DOT temporarily turned the block of Bedford Avenue between Nassau and Manhattan into a 24/7 pedestrian plaza, a change that many locals are hoping to make permanent.
A petition in favor of the change has garnered over 3,300 signatures. Even before the shutdown, the block already started to feel like an open street, as the area hosts ample outdoor seating for restaurants, vintage vendors, and other occasional events. The busy feel of the space is supported by DOT data—a 2019 study found that the Bedford Avenue/Nassau Avenue intersection had some of the neighborhood’s highest foot traffic.
The idea has the support of Greenpoint’s local elected officials. News12 notes that Representative Nydia Velázquez and State Senator Kristen Gonzalez recently sent supportive letters to the DOT.
“Bedford Slip was a resounding success as a new public plaza during G train shutdown,” City Council Member Lincoln Restler said on X. “A permanent weekend plaza is a sensible next step. This should be immediately implemented.”
But not all locals are happy with the proposed change. A counter petition, created in 2021 in response to the slip’s initial founding, currently has 518 signatures. Two local businesses, Billy’s Locksmith & Security Service and ID Menswear, told News12 that business was down since the implementation of the 24/7 plaza, though other Greenpoint businesses have noted that things were slow overall due to the shutdown.
Streetsblog notes that the relaunch will occur later next month.
Your getting car congestion because you are closing up streets. This street will not be used for pedestrians, it will be used by local merchants to sell their goods. Landlords on that street take note, your retail property just got more valuable. Keep that in mind when their leases come up for renewal.