Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
DOT

Eyes on the Street: Heavy Blocks and Barricades on Prospect Park Loop

The newly-installed barricade by the Prospect Park bandshell. Photo: 2AvSagas

Just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, blocks and metal fencing have gone up at two points along the Prospect Park loop. The obstacles are intended to slow cyclists at major pedestrian crossings, but they form narrow chokepoints that may create more problems than they solve.

The cubes are located by the bandshell on the west side of the park and at the bottom of the hill on the southwest leg of the loop, according to reports on Reddit and Twitter.

The Prospect Park Alliance said DOT decided to install the pinch points. DOT said the agency installed the barriers "at the request of the Alliance for safety purposes."

The bottom of the hill, where cyclists accumulate speed as they approach the crossing, has been the site of collisions that resulted in serious injuries.

Reducing the speed of downhill cyclists could prevent those types of crashes, but this design also introduces new risks. The big anchors are obstacles that appear suddenly, and may cause cyclist collisions or abrupt merging movements that jeopardize people on the loop.

The steep downhill on the park loop at this location poses a tough design problem. It would be reassuring if the city could point to a precedent for calming fast bike traffic on car-free streets shared with pedestrians, and duplicate it here. But the blocks and fencing look like standard materials for controlling cars that have been transposed to a car-free setting.

Correction: We originally reported that the blocks are concrete. DOT says they are plastic, not concrete. The post has been amended.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Eyes on the Street: DOT’s ‘Broadway Vision’ Starts to Clear Up

The Department of Transportation has transformed Broadway into a new corridor for pedestrians and cyclists.

July 8, 2025

Amsterdam Leads the Way on E-Bike Regulation — Should New York Follow Suit?

The city's biking- and walking-friendly streets expose the hypocrisy harsh e-bike enforcement without better street design.

July 8, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Rethinking Avenue B Edition

DOT is taking feedback on the future of Avenue B. Plus more news.

July 8, 2025

Eric Adams’s ‘Dept. of Sustainable Delivery’ Isn’t Actually A Department

The "Department of Sustainable Delivery" will launch with 45 "peace officers" in 2028, the mayor said on Monday.

July 7, 2025

New Air Quality Stats Dispel Earlier Forecasts for Congestion Pricing Pollution

Air quality has improved or remained steady across the five boroughs since congestion pricing launched in January, city health department data showed.

July 7, 2025

‘Rush’ Routes Debut in Queens Bus Map Overhaul More Than Five Years in the Making

The MTA's new "rush" routes make fewer stops in busy downtown areas to avoid wasted time merging in and out of traffic.

July 7, 2025
See all posts