Bushwick is changing. What was once an industrial hub is now a community of artists, musicians, and young professionals. And at the center of it all is Knickerbocker Avenue. The street has become the beating heart of the neighborhood, where new businesses pop up left and right.
But there’s one problem: the cars. They’re everywhere. And they’re starting to choke the life out of Knickerbocker Avenue.
A car-free avenue would be great for business. Businesses thrive when there are large numbers of pedestrians around — just think of the city’s pedestrian-only zones like Times Square. If we get rid of the cars on Knickerbocker, it will become a more inviting place for people to shop, eat, and socialize. It will be good for businesses and good for the local economy.
It’s what the people want! A recent study conducted by the New York City Department of Small Business Services claims that 96% of shoppers on Knickerbocker and the surrounding neighborhood get to the neighborhood by walking, biking, or public transit.
That’s a clear mandate from the community, and we need to listen to what their needs are.
Cars are dangerous. Every year, there are accidents on Knickerbocker Ave and throughout Bushwick. These range from fender-benders to serious injuries and deaths. Making just one street car free would make it a street that much safer for everyone.
Cars are also a nuisance. Cars add to pollution and climate change. They honk their horns, they block sidewalks, and they belch exhaust fumes into the air. Nobody wants to deal with that when they’re trying to enjoy a meal or do some shopping. We all know that climate change is a serious problem that needs to be addressed and one of the best ways to do that is by reducing our reliance on cars.
Knickerbocker is a perfect place to start—if we can make this street car-free, it will send a larger message to the city and the world that Bushwick is serious about going green.
Making Knickerbocker Avenue car free is not just a good idea—it’s vital if we want to keep the street alive and thriving. The benefits are clear: it would reduce pollution and noise levels, make the street safer, and be great for businesses in the area. Most importantly, it’s what the people who live and work here want, so let’s make it happen.
Zach Katz has lived in Bushwick for the past four years and has been behind businesses like Framed Tweets and Hipster Bullshit. He is also the founder of Transform Your City, a group with a “mission is to transform every city into a pedestrian city.” Bushwick Daily is committed to publishing a diversity of local voices. Do you have something you’d like to say? Email: [email protected].
Top image taken by Andrew Karpan.
For more news, sign up for Bushwick Daily’s newsletter.
Join the fight to save local journalism by becoming a paid subscriber.
Freaking people moving in and changing everything to suit themselves. Neighborhood didn’t want them or need them.
Go to park slope and close a maker a major thoroughfare.
found one of the carbrained 4% ^
I think this is a great idea. The same could be said on Wyckoff near the Jefferson L train stop. There is a ton of pedestrian traffic on both streets and the streets are clogged with cars (both driving and double-parked). As a Citibiker in both areas, I find the double parking and blocking of bike lanes dangerous.
It would be nice if the local businesses organized together and petitioned for at least temporary NYC Open Streets closures such as Berry St in Williamsburg.
There is a whole world of people who use Knickerbocker for more than eating or shopping. Also if you’ve ever driven in the neighbourhood, which I’m gonna guess you haven’t, you would know that traffic-wise it’s a pretty essential street to be able to drive down to get from Myrtle to Flushing and vice-versa. If anything Knickerbocker should double down on cars- remove the parking and double the lanes so that Wilson or Irving could go car-free.
bingo, ditch the parking on Knickerbocker – at least on one side – btwn Flushing and Myrtle so it can actually operate. theorizing that Myrtle and Flushing can handle additional traffic show how ignorant the author is to the realities of traffic on those streets – they’re already extremely congested. can’t believe they let the author, a “resident” of four years, post this nonsense.
As someone who has lived in the area for more than 30 years I’m going to need you Christopher Columbus types to please keep your opinions to yourself…Its a major thoroughfare for the neighborhood and how would you get deliveries to the many businesses that thrive on Knickerbocker…If they have to park on side streets now your causing an issue for the residents of the area…Living in area for 4 years does not make you an expert…
I am usually all for pedestrian/bike infrastructure, and I ride a bike down Kinckerbocker EVERY day from where it begins in Deep Bushwick to where a few blocks before where it ends at Morgan. Even I don’t think this is going to fly. While theoretically it is a major South/North passage for cars, traffic creeps most of the way, largely because of the insane amount of double parking. 95% of that double-parking is in the bike lane, making that dangerous and pointless. If you really want to make the trip sane for cars and bikes, parking should be removed on one side, put in a physically divided bike lane on the other. Anyone who double parks gets a summons immediately. The cops are often hanging out on every corner, and i have NEVER seen them write a double-parking summons for the 25 cars that are parked in the bike lane every time I ride through. Put meters on the other parking side, 1-2 hour max and the problem is solved.
What racist, imperialist garbage. “ Bushwick is changing. What was once an industrial hub is now a community of artists, musicians, and young professionals. And at the center of it all is Knickerbocker Avenue.” So with one sentence you just erased the entire history of the residents of bushwick as well as the people who call it there home now, despite rampant gentrification. New flash: Knickerbocker was never just an “industrial hub,” it has always been a thriving neighborhood even before the “artists and musicians” arrived. Talk to the Germans, Italians of the past and to the current majority of Puerto Ricans and Mexicans and see what they say. Absolutely shameful.
As a person who has lived here forever knickerbocker has changed already, we cannot shut it down just for bikes. Bikes don’t pay for anything. They cause accidents, no body follow the rules. Knickerbocker is also so important to getting from one end to the other end. Change is good when it’s for all. These changes are coming from outsiders who don’t have a clue how much Bushwick has come forward. Our park, certain blocks beautified, schools improved, green gardens, neighborhood watch, houses re-done. Thats the reason most of you moved here because your neighborhood got expensive you moved into our neighborhood in Buswhick. Our neighborhood have style, class, proud people of all backgrounds. Enjoy it and leave it with cars.
Appreciate your opinion but no. Horrible idea. Also, everyone who grew up here will mostly disagree as well. Not just “4%” like some dope in the comments said.
-Bushwick native.
I left Brooklyn 52 years ago in 1971. When I was a kid Knick was an Italian Oasis. Fruit and Veg stands, Fish stores, Pizzerias, oh yeah, and the “Social Clubs”. Knick was a 2 way street back then.