Driving Around Metrotech About to Get Easier
Since 2001 (9/11 to be exact), all vehicular access to MetroTech—from Flatbush, Jay, Bridge and Duffield—has been blocked by either barricades or guards. Starting next Friday, however, that will all change. Prompted, we gather, by the departure of the Securities Industry Automation Corp. (which provides critical technical support for the New York Stock Exchange), traffic…
Since 2001 (9/11 to be exact), all vehicular access to MetroTech—from Flatbush, Jay, Bridge and Duffield—has been blocked by either barricades or guards. Starting next Friday, however, that will all change. Prompted, we gather, by the departure of the Securities Industry Automation Corp. (which provides critical technical support for the New York Stock Exchange), traffic on all the aforementioned access points will be opened up to the public. Here’s part of an email from the MetroTech BID: “The physical barriers on Duffield, Bridge and Lawrence Streets will be removed and traffic will be able to come through these streets as it was prior to September, 2001. Lawrence Street between Willoughby and the Service Drive will revert to one way Northbound; Bridge Street to one-way Southbound and Duffield Street to one way Southbound.” The big question in our mind is what this means for the Brooklyn and BellTel Lofts, both of which have their main entrances on these blocked-off streets. Think it’s good news for the developments?
SIAC is going to a stand-alone facility in North Jersey. DoITT is moving offices into the space where SIAC was. fsrq, the service road should re-open to traffic at some point.
asdf, yes, the security perimeter around 9 Metrotech is becoming more permanent. I’ve not heard anything to indicate that “civilians” will be able to walk on the streets that are closed now.
What about the entrance on Jay next to the old Sids? That was a creat shortcut to get from Jay to Flatbush.
Wonder where SIAC is going – that would be a loss for Brooklyn’s backoffice business if they leave the boro
I wish they would keep Bridge and duffield closed to vehicles, it’s nice to have those streets all to yourself!
Agreed. I can understand no vehicles, but no pedestrians is a bit too much. And closing a street to pedestrians between a school and a university to use it as a fire department/911 parking lot is just wrong. If they need a parking lot, build one; these is been no shortage of places to do so within a few blocks.
ridiculous that this stayed like this so long.
Yeah, that big DoITT/e911 building at the corner of Flatbush and Tillary is still apparently considered a security target. At least they seem to be getting rid of the idling cop cars (asthma inducing, next to like three schools) in favor of hydraulic barriers.
My only hope is that they will include a creative way to at least open these streets (bridge, johnson/techpl) to pedestrians again, if not vehicles.
I take it the streets will remain closed in the Bridge/Johnson vicinity. Johnson in particular has effectively been turned into an ugly free parking lot for government employees. This small area requires four cops to guard both ends of Bridge and Johnson. Recently they have been doing construction which looks like this setup will be getting more permanent, not less so.
Wow. About time. They made kids give up cell phones in school about 2004, but blocked street access in many parts of downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan remains.
If it’s considered safe enough for kids to be at schools without cell phones, it’s probably safe enough for the cops to give back Park Row.
I hope some of the other barriers can be removed also.