Brooklyn’s Community Board 6 spent much of its April meeting talking up the Department of Transportation’s Flatbush Avenue bus-priority plan, but the applause came with a side of anxiety over detours, narrow streets and whether anyone will actually enforce the rules. Board members pressed the MTA and DOT on routing changes that could shove buses onto already tight neighborhood blocks and on how construction zones will be signed and staffed. The debate stretched from a proposed B63 reroute to a late-breaking motion asking the city to rethink who writes parking tickets.
What DOT Will Build
The city’s plan calls for center-running bus lanes and six concrete boarding islands along the northern stretch of Flatbush Avenue, with work staged in phases so two-way traffic can keep moving while crews are on-site. As outlined by NYC DOT, the project would pull curbside stops onto those islands and carve out more pedestrian space, with the northern phase expected to wrap up in the fall. NY1 reported the agency planned to resume island installation this spring and said the redesign is aimed at speeding up the B41 and improving rider safety.
How The Reroute Would Work
Under the proposal, the B63 would steer clear of Flatbush at Atlantic Avenue. Northbound buses would turn left onto Bergen Street, right onto Fourth Avenue, then left again onto Atlantic, while southbound buses would swing right onto Fourth Avenue, left onto Dean Street and then back to Fifth Avenue. That potential routing, which would send more buses onto Bergen and Dean, streets already carrying the B65, rattled several board members who said those corridors are narrow and tough for big vehicles. Local reporting in the Red Hook Star‑Revue recapped the exchange and noted that ideas like swapping the B45 and B63 terminals were floated as alternatives.
Board Votes To Return Parking Tickets To DOT
The full board also backed a resolution asking the city to move parking-enforcement duties from the NYPD back to DOT, a shift supporters say would clear out loading zones and let police concentrate more on crime reduction. Streetsblog covered the committee and full-board votes and reported that members argued civilian traffic agents under DOT would provide steadier curb enforcement and cut down on placard misuse. The resolution mirrors steps taken by other community boards and plugs into a broader citywide debate over who manages the streets and how enforcement resources are used.
BMT Comment Deadline And Elected Officials
After the transit votes, Congressman Dan Goldman used his speaking time to prod constituents to weigh in on the Brooklyn Marine Terminal environmental review and to track cleanup logistics for nearby contaminated sites. The city’s lead agency extended the Draft Scope of Work comment window through May 8, according to NYCEDC, and local coverage in the Red Hook Star‑Revue reported that Goldman urged neighbors to stay engaged throughout the review.
What To Watch Next
CB6’s next full board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Van Alen Institute, where Flatbush implementation details, Brooklyn Marine Terminal scoping and enforcement issues are all expected to resurface on the agenda. The Van Alen Institute lists the meeting on its events calendar, and board members encouraged residents to keep an eye on DOT, MTA and city review pages for the latest updates.
