What’s happening: Mayor Mamdani and NYC DOT today proposed banning cars from the southern roadway of Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, connecting the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch directly to Prospect Park. The project also includes improvements for the B41 and B6 buses, which carry nearly 33,000 daily riders through the plaza. Public workshops begin April 23.
Grand Army Plaza Is Finally Getting the Redesign Brooklyn Has Wanted for Decades
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn announced today a proposal to transform one of Brooklyn’s most chaotic intersections. The plan would ban cars from the southern edge of Grand Army Plaza — the stretch between Union Street and Eastern Parkway — and connect the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch directly to Prospect Park with a new pedestrian plaza.
The announcement comes after years of community advocacy and stalled planning. More than 85% of the 3,600 people surveyed during public workshops in 2024 supported a redesign connecting the arch to the park. The project was first studied under the Adams administration but never advanced. Mamdani moved forward with the more ambitious of the two options Adams had considered.
What the Redesign Would Do
- Ban direct car traffic between Union Street and Eastern Parkway along the plaza’s south side — turning that roadway into a pedestrian plaza between the arch and Prospect Park
- Convert remaining roadways around the arch from one-way to two-way, rerouting vehicles around the arch’s north side
- Add new crossings to Bailey Fountain and an accessible path nearby
- Shorten pedestrian crossing distances at Flatbush and Vanderbilt Avenues
- Shift the bike path north and add new cycling infrastructure
- Improve bus service on the B41 (27,300 daily riders) and B6 (5,600 daily riders)
The redesign would reduce pedestrian-vehicle conflict points at Grand Army Plaza from 31 to 20. Over the past decade, the streets inside the plaza have seen 135 crashes injuring 221 people — including 26 cyclists and 20 pedestrians — according to NYC Crashmapper data cited by city officials.
The Original Vision — Finally Realized
Grand Army Plaza was designed in 1867 by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as the formal entrance to Prospect Park. The introduction of the automobile in the early 20th century divided the plaza with traffic, severing the arch from the park it was meant to welcome visitors into. This proposal would restore that original vision after more than a century.
Timeline and How to Get Involved
NYC DOT will hold public workshops beginning April 23 to finalize the design. A community feedback survey will be posted at nyc.gov/grandarmyplaza on the day of the first workshop and will remain open through May 31, 2026.
There is currently no confirmed budget or construction start date. The proposal also complements an ongoing Flatbush Avenue redesign adding center-running bus lanes from Livingston Street down to Grand Army Plaza.
Frequently Asked Questions: Grand Army Plaza Redesign
What is the Grand Army Plaza redesign proposal?
NYC DOT and Mayor Mamdani propose banning cars from the south side of Grand Army Plaza, connecting the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch to Prospect Park with a new pedestrian plaza, and improving B41 and B6 bus service.
When are the public workshops for the Grand Army Plaza redesign?
Public workshops begin April 23, 2026. A feedback survey will be available at nyc.gov/grandarmyplaza from that date through May 31.
Will cars be completely banned from Grand Army Plaza?
No — only from the southern roadway between Union Street and Eastern Parkway. Vehicles would be rerouted around the arch’s north side. Grand Army Plaza would no longer function as a full traffic circle.
How will the redesign affect B41 and B6 bus riders?
The redesign is intended to speed up service on both routes, which together carry nearly 33,000 daily riders through Grand Army Plaza.
When will construction begin?
No construction start date has been set. NYC DOT is still finalizing the design through public workshops scheduled to begin April 23.
