Our design deconstructs traffic on Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue in a hierarchical manner while simultaneously connecting the intersection to the Park Slope neighborhood.

3 MPH: pedestrian

Gone are the dangerous days of “trolley dodging”! Pedestrian safety is ensured by incorporating raised crosswalks and traffic islands of contrasting materials, which serve to slow traffic at the intersection of Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue.

Adding a sustainable stormwater system, community art gallery and designated green space to the urban streetscape integrates the site with the surrounding neighborhood. A series of landscaped stormwater planters along Ninth Street generates environmental and aesthetic benefits for pedestrians. Each stormwater planter can collect up to seven inches of stormwater, cleaning the street water. During large storms, overflow circulates back out to the street and is collected by the next planter. The extension of the planters as benches offers the opportunity for pedestrians to pause and socialize along the “green street”. Larger urban parks along Fourth Ave further provide flexible pedestrian areas for gatherings and informal activities.

A community art gallery now occupies the once gloomy underside of the elevated subway platform. Formerly dark, the site has been transformed into a brighter space with the addition of new ceiling and wall panels with accent lighting. Subway access has been relocated to the face of the building. Windows in the subway’s upper level cladding and a glazed stair tower visually connect the subway and street.

10 MPH: bicycle

Community members will now be able to enjoy bicycling in Park Slope with optimum safety. The once hazardous biking conditions along Ninth Street and Fourth Ave are alleviated through the use of protected bike lanes, physically separated by a zone of parking. These lanes, now entirely distinct from the main traffic, are equipped with light signals exclusively for these bicyclists. The addition of a bicycle rental service and a designated parking area establish the intersection as a multimodal transit hub.

25 MPH: vehicle

To ensure the viability of the intersection of Ninth Street and Fourth Ave as a node on the local truck route, traffic lanes and on-street parking have been maintained. Bus islands now provide a safe and sheltered location for mass transit passengers.