The city’s Department of Transportation is attempting to make Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn safer by installing new mid-block crosswalks along certain parts of the thoroughfare.

It’s an effort advocates having been pushing for years — after a number of pedestrians were killed at intersections along the avenue.

What You Need To Know

  • The city’s Department of Transportation is attempting to make Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn safer by installing new mid-block crosswalks along certain parts of the thoroughfare

  • Studies show many people opt to jaywalk at intersections on Atlantic Avenue due to the length between crosswalks

  • Since 2019, there have been three deaths and 25 serious injuries along Atlantic Avenue between Hicks and Nevins streets

Allie Levine was strolling her son down Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill Friday, when she was surprised to find DOT workers installing a crosswalk in the middle of the block between Hoyt and Smith streets.

“Now we have a faster way to cross, which is good,” Levine said. “This is a great improvement.”

“On Atlantic Avenue, our blocks are like walking the equivalent of three city blocks,” said Kelly Carroll, executive director of the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District.

Studies show many people opt to jaywalk at intersections on Atlantic Avenue due to the length between crosswalks.

“My office requested the DOT do a study of the number of people that do mid-block crossings,” said Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler. “On a few different days of looking at it in the spring, there were between 500-600 people over a few hour stretch that were crossing mid-block on these blocks.”

“More recently we had a couple of people who were killed from speeding,” said Kelly Carroll, founding member of the Atlantic Business Improvement District.

Since 2019, there have been three deaths and 25 serious injuries along Atlantic Avenue between Hicks and Nevins Streets.

“This is an important area because this is one of the most congested areas,” said DOT commissioner Yadanis Rodriguez. “This is an important destination for not only residents of Brooklyn but also a lot of New Yorkers and businesses.”

Rodriguez said there are a total of three newly installed mid-block crosswalks along the Atlantic Avenue corridor. Aside from the one on the block between Smith and Hoyt streets, the other two are located between Bond and Nevins streets and Hoyt and Bond streets.

DOT officials hope the crosswalks improve pedestrian safety and slow traffic down. Business owners believe that will increase sales.

“If there is a mid-block business and [someone’s] already gotten to the corner, [they’re] not going to turn around and go visit that business,” Carroll said. “But now this shortens everyone’s commute by 50%.”

That means shops like Absolute Coffee may get more foot traffic. The business is surrounded by schools and students.

“I feel like it’s at a perfect angle because it’s a long block, so cut it in half,” said barista Andrew Lebron.

The DOT is using other tools to improve safety along other parts of the Atlantic Avenue business corridor, which includes areas on Atlantic between Logan Street and Rockaway Boulevard.

All the new mid-block crosswalks also included the installation of new traffic signals, which were installed within the past week.