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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 174-04
July 01, 2004

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER IRIS WEINSHALL ANNOUNCE PARKING IMPROVEMENTS FOR DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN

Mayor Michael Bloomberg today announced a new plan for residential parking in Downtown Brooklyn that will allow for more spots for residents and shoppers, and fewer spaces for official vehicle parking.  The Mayor announced that more than 110 spaces allocated for City agency vehicles will be eliminated by the Fall to help reduce the parking crunch in Downtown Brooklyn; there will be about 40 metered parking spaces, 50 spots subject to street cleaning regulations on residential streets, and 20 dedicated truck loading/unloading spots to relieve the need for double parking. During the approval process for the Downtown Brooklyn Plan, the Administration heard the concerns of area residents and made the commitment to reduce the amount of public agency permit parking in area neighborhoods, provide off-street parking for certain agencies, and implement certain road improvements sooner than originally anticipated. Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Iris Weinshall and Councilmember David Yassky joined the Mayor at State Street between Smith and Hoyt Streets in Downtown Brooklyn to install the first new sign in the area signifying the fist step towards fulfilling that commitment.

“The people who live, work and shop in the Downtown Brooklyn area have expressed their concerns about government parking,” Mayor Bloomberg said.  “We are here today to say: we hear your concerns and we will continue to address them for the betterment of everyone that travels through and lives in Downtown Brooklyn. We have reduced parking by about 27% at across every City agency, and we are reaffirming our commitment to more parking for City residents and less parking for City vehicles.”

“As we seek to bring new development and jobs to Downtown Brooklyn, it is imperative that we immediately begin to prepare for an influx of commuter traffic,” said Councilman David Yassky.  “We want Downtown to be an even more popular destination for businesses and visitors, but not so overcrowded with cars that local residents can’t find a place to park and local stores have no spaces for their customers.  This parking and traffic plan is designed to protect those residents and businesses with new limits on City employee permits, more public parking spaces and steps toward a residential permit parking program.”

“DOT is taking this step because downtown community members and elected officials prioritized the impacts of government and permit bearing vehicles during the Downtown Brooklyn Planning process,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall.

Other traffic improvements will continue as the Downtown Brooklyn Plan is implemented.  DOT also is implementing many traffic improvement measures associated with its Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Plan, while the City Economic Development Corporation has outlined a comprehensive economic redevelopment plan that recently was approved by the City Council.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Ed Skyler / Jennifer Falk   (212) 788-2958



GENERAL CONTACT:

Tom Cocola   (DOT)
(212) 442-7033


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