BROOKLYN, NY — Construction on a two-way protected bike path along Ocean Avenue near Prospect Park is set to begin Friday, the city transportation department announced.
The $15.5 million project will link Parkside Avenue to Empire Boulevard, allowing cyclists to travel safely without mixing with motor traffic.
A new pedestrian plaza honoring the late U.S. Rep. Shirley Chisholm will be installed at the park’s Parkside entrance, and a nearby building at Flatbush and Ocean avenues will be upgraded with new bathrooms.
Sidewalks will be widened, crossing distances shortened at intersections, and pedestrian islands installed along the route, city officials said.
The Ocean Avenue work is part of a broader push to expand bike-friendly streets around Prospect Park.
A protected lane was added on Flatbush Avenue in 2020, following a 2010 two-way lane on Prospect Park West that sparked local controversy. Motor vehicles have been banned from the park since 2018.
“Families from across the city walk and bike to Brooklyn’s backyard, and with so much foot traffic, the park’s adjacent streets must be calm and focused on people,” Transportation Commissioner Michael Flynn said.
The transportation department expects construction to finish by fall 2027, coinciding with a separate Vale of Cashmere overhaul in the park’s northeast corner.
City officials are also finalizing plans to redesign traffic patterns at Grand Army Plaza and will hold a new round of public outreach this spring.