DOT Taking Requests For Meeker Avenue Makeover

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — A dangerous stretch of road under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could soon be home to protected bike lanes, art exhibits and open plazas, the city has announced.

The 16 blocks of Meeker Avenue that run underneath the BQE between the Kosciuszko and Williamsburg bridges will soon be revamped to improve safety conditions for pedestrians and bikers, according to the Department of Transportation.

But before the agency begins the redesign, its asking community members to fill out an online survey and decide what kind of innovations they’d like to find under the highway.

In a DOT presentation given to Brooklyn residents last week, the agency highlighted past overpass underbelly renovations that brought giant chess sets, climbing walls, concession stands and public plazas to their neighborhoods.

The survey asks Brooklynites to name their priorities for the space — options include public space, bike facilities and concession stands — and provides a comment box at the bottom for further suggestions.

The agency argues the land is both underused and overly dangerous; Parking lots stand unused, bikes ride without the protection of a lane, and truck drivers headed to Greenpoint make wide and unruly turns.

There were 145 injuries and three fatalities reported on Meeker Avenue between 2011 and 2014, according to the DOT.

City Councilman Antonio Reynoso noted that the area some of the highest asthma rates in the city and blamed a lack of green space.

The tentative completion date is set for 2020.

Photos courtesy of the Department of Transportation