Skip to content

Grand Army Plaza Bollards: Saving Lives and Wrecking Cars

The scene on Monday morning at the pedestrian refuge island in the middle of Flatbush Avenue between Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Public Library.
CrashatGAP001_1.jpg

The scene on Monday morning at the pedestrian refuge island in the middle of Flatbush Avenue between Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Public Library.

The bollards this guy smashed into surround the infamous pedestrian refuge island where the “little walk man” beckons people into the middle of Flatbush Avenue and then sadistically traps them there as heavy traffic flies by on both sides. Some say that DOT has made some improvements in the signal timing at this intersection. Others say it hasn’t changed. Calls to DOT on this question have gone unanswered for about two weeks now. More:

Photo of Aaron Naparstek
Aaron Naparstek is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Naparstek's journalism, advocacy and community organizing work has been instrumental in growing the bicycle network, removing motor vehicles from parks, and developing new public plazas, car-free streets and life-saving traffic-calming measures across all five boroughs. He was also one of the original cast members of the "War on Cars" podcast. You can find more of his work on his website.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog New York City

James Giovansanti, Staten Island’s Super-Speeding Cop, Reveals The NYPD’s Inner Conflict Over Rogue Officers

April 29, 2026

Amtrak Won’t Make Key Trump Penn Station Documents Public

April 29, 2026

Wednesday’s Headlines: Eric Adams Under the Bus Edition

April 29, 2026

How Intercity Bus Lines Are Rebranding To Attract New Riders

April 29, 2026

Hochul Says She’ll Rein in Big Insurance With ‘Excess Profit’ Law; Experts Call That A ‘Joke’

April 28, 2026
See all posts