Ocean Parkway (Brooklyn)
Brighton Beach | |
Major junctions | Belt Parkway in Brighton Beach |
---|---|
North end | NY 27 in Kensington |
Ocean Parkway | |
No. 0871 | |
Built | 1874–76 |
Architect | Frederick Law Olmsted; Calvert Vaux |
NRHP reference No. | 83001697[2] |
NYCL No. | 0871 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | September 8, 1983 |
Designated NYCL | January 28, 1975 |
Ocean Parkway is a 4.86-mile-long (7.82 km)
Route description
Ocean Parkway extends over a distance of about five miles (8 km), running almost north to south from Machate Circle at the southwestern corner of Prospect Park to the Atlantic Ocean waterfront at Brighton Beach. The NYSDOT designates the 4.86-mile (7.82 km) section south of Church Avenue as an unsigned reference route.[3]
Ocean Parkway begins at Machate Circle at the southern entrance of Prospect Park and travels westward before merging south into
The parkway is similar to
trains) from the Belt Parkway to Church Avenue.History
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who were also responsible for designing Central Park and Prospect Park, suggested the construction of Eastern Parkway and Ocean Parkway to Brooklyn park commissioners in reports prepared in 1866. The proposed Ocean and Eastern Parkways would connect Prospect Park with Coney Island and East New York, respectively. Their plan for the parkways were inspired by boulevards such as Under den Linden in Berlin and Avenue Foch in Paris. However, Ocean and Eastern Parkways were considered to be improvements over these two thoroughfares, since both would contain service roads separated from the main road by tree-lined medians.[4]: 1 [7]: 2 Because the road to Coney Island would reach the ocean, it was thus called "Ocean Parkway".[5]
On May 11, 1869, the New York State Legislature gave authority to the City of Brooklyn's commissioners to "lay out, open, and improve a public highway or avenue from Prospect Park, in the City of Brooklyn, towards Coney Island."[4]: 1 [5] The act was later amended in 1872.[5] The parkway's construction started in 1874, and the next year, the segment was open between Prospect Park and Kings Highway. The remaining section to Coney Island started in "early spring" 1876 and was finished on November 11 of that year.[4]: 1 [5] Construction costs were paid by landowners whose property laid 1,050 feet (320 m) on either side of the parkway.[4]: 1 The costs at the time were estimated as being $1 million (equivalent to $28,568,000 in 2023), with the section north of Kings Highway accounting for three-fourths of the cost.[5] Subsequent legislation passed in 1882 relieved these landowners of two-thirds of that cost.[4]: 1 [5]
The pedestrian path was split in 1894 to create the first bike path in the United States; the cyclists' speed limit was 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) on the parkway and 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) on the bike path.[8]
The
In 2013, the New York state government allocated $6 million for safety improvements to Ocean Parkway.[13] In 2016, an overhaul of traffic regulations at major intersections was proposed,[14] including traffic signals for service roads and turn restrictions at multiple intersections. The regulations were unpopular among residents but went into effect at Kings Highway and Avenue J in late 2016.[15][16] The project was finished in 2017, though some motorists ignored the new traffic restrictions.[17] As part of the Vision Zero program and to reduce traffic-related deaths, speed limits were lowered to 25 miles per hour (40 km/h).[18]
Horseback riding
Bridle paths formerly existed on Ocean Parkway as well. The bridle paths were on the eastern side of Ocean Parkway; equestrians could rent horses near Prospect Park and ride them on Ocean Parkway as far as Coney Island.[19] In the parkway's early years, horse and sleigh racing took place on the bridle paths.[8] Both the Gravesend Race Track and Brighton Beach Race Course were adjacent to Ocean Parkway, and horse racing took place there as well.[20][21] In 1908 or 1910, a ban on open betting took effect, and horse races stopped at all of these facilities.[8][19]
By the mid-20th century, horseback riding in Brooklyn was in decline as people switched to automobiles, and equestrian activities became more of a hobby.[22] These paths were removed during the 1978 rezoning.[19] Although one can still rent horses at the nearby Kensington Stables,[22][23] the bridle paths on Ocean Parkway have since been paved over and are no longer in use. Another stable, at Avenue S and Coney Island Avenue, was removed.[19]
Neighborhood
Much of Ocean Parkway is
By the 1970s, the neighborhoods around Ocean Parkway had the highest concentrations of Syrian Jews in the United States. In 1980, it was estimated that 60 to 70 percent of the population was Syrian Jewish. This was reflected in the high density of synagogues, yeshivas, and other traditionally Jewish institutions around Ocean Parkway.[12]
Transportation
The
Major intersections
The entire route is in the
Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
At-grade intersection | |||||
0.56 | 0.90 | Verrazano Bridge | Exit 7 on Belt Parkway | ||
Gravesend | 2.13 | 3.43 | Kings Highway | ||
Kensington | 4.86 | 7.82 | Church Avenue | Access via service roads only | |
4.86 | 7.82 | Brooklyn-Queens Expressway ) | Continuation beyond Church Avenue; exit 6 on NY 27 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
Gallery
See also
References
- ^ a b c "2011 Traffic Volume Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. September 25, 2012. pp. 258–259. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 12, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ a b c New York State Department of Transportation (January 2012). Official Description of Highway Touring Routes, Bicycling Touring Routes, Scenic Byways, & Commemorative/Memorial Designations in New York State (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on July 29, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Ocean Parkway" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. January 28, 1975. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Stiles, H.R.; Brockett, L.P.; Proctor, L.B. (1884). The Civil, Political, Professional and Ecclesiastical History, and Commercial and Industrial Record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y. from 1683 to 1884. New York: county and regional histories and atlases. Munsell. p. 172. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ "NYC DOT - Bicycle Maps" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Transportation. 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- ^ "Eastern Parkway" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. August 22, 1978. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Ocean Parkway Malls Highlights : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ "Ocean Parkway to get traffic signs and other improvements". The Brooklyn Home Reporter. October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ Cruz, Chris (April 21, 2016). "NYS Making Ocean Parkway Safer in $8.5 Million Pedestrian Safety Project |". Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
- ^ Miller, Carly (January 17, 2017). "State Gov't Greenlights New Traffic Rules On Ocean Parkway Despite Opposition From City Pols". Bklyner. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ Katz, Andy (December 5, 2016). "Ocean Parkway residents push back against proposed New York State DOT changes along key intersections - Brooklyn Daily Eagle". www.brooklyneagle.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
- ^ Cuba, Julianne (January 12, 2017). "Turn for the worse: Drivers ignoring Ocean Parkway 'safety' changes". Brooklyn Paper. Archived from the original on August 28, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ISBN 9780486141695. Archivedfrom the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ISBN 9780739166703. Archivedfrom the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ from the original on July 28, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ Smith, Rachel Holliday (July 5, 2017). "Kensington Stables Owner Accepts City Buyout at Prospect Park Horse Barn". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on February 16, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- ^ a b "NYC Planning ZoLa". ZoLa. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ProQuest 115237064.
- ^ "Zoning Districts & Tools: Special Purpose District : Brooklyn - DCP". Welcome to NYC.gov. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ "Brooklyn Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.