With office and residential towers, shopping and schools, Downtown Brooklyn can be a busy, congested place. But in this stretch along Willoughby and Pearl Streets, there’s a bit of calm. Cars travel slower and people dine at tables in the street.

“I think it’s great. It’s a nice peaceful environment where everybody can take a minute out of their busy schedule and take a moment to themselves,” said one pedestrian.

This is the latest expansion of a Transportation Department program redesigning streets so pedestrians, cyclists and drivers can all use them together, safely. The program began in Manhattan two and a half years ago and is now part of the cityscape in Union Square the Flatiron District. This is the first so-called "shared street" in another borough. Advocates say it's a better use of limited public space in a city where pedestrians far outnumber drivers.

“The Shared Street will give Brooklynites a chance to reclaim their street for a healthier more livable environment,” said DOT Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Keith Bray.

“We’re very happy that the Shared Street DOT has initiated in Manhattan is finally coming across the river,” said Downtown Brooklyn Partnership Regina Myer.

The program now covers Pearl Street from Fulton to Willoughby Streets and Willoughby from Pearl to Lawrence Streets.

The shared streets feature curb extensions, street furniture, planters, shortened pedestrian crossings and a five mile an hour speed limit which are all measures designed to improve the safety of everyone.

“In addition to just being user friendly and inviting and being a quality-of-life initiative, it’s good for commerce. A lot of the small businesses here along Willoughby Street are going to benefit from the fact that now pedestrians are welcome, cyclists are welcome and it’s not just about the car culture,” said Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Randy Peers.

But some Brooklynites are not convinced, predicting the redesign will cause traffic backups.

“I don’t think it’s a good trade off. I don’t think accommodating seating for people at lunchtime is going to justify the traffic that’s going to be building up,” said one pedestrian.

The Shared Street installation is now permanent, and the DOT says the next area where this will be done is back across the river at Bowling Green.