4th Avenue and 9th Street in Brooklyn is a fine example of the best features of a great city: extensive and efficient public transportation; a neighborhood dense with businesses and residences; cultural and historical landmarks; and heavy pedestrian traffic. It is quite possible and common for one to live car-free in New York. In our design we capitalize on all that 4th and 9th offer as we make it enjoyable for one to live car-free in New York.

We reclaim some of the space allocated to motor vehicles and assign it to bike and pedestrian use. Wider, safer sidewalks are distanced from the vehicular traffic by curbs and plantings. Private driveways no longer intrude into pedestrian space. The major intersection is refigured to provide pedestrians with the safest crossing possible. In addition to common sense measures such as extended pedestrian signal times and turning restrictions for vehicles, the intersection will be treated with wider crosswalks, pedestrian refuges on 4th Avenue, and color and textural paving changes throughout to encourage driver alertness. The pedestrian experience will also be significantly improved by the redesign of the neighborhood storefronts. We foresee the city providing grants for businesses to redesign and spruce up their storefronts. The sidewalk under the subway platform is the ideal spot for an interactive sound and light art installation. This illumination would be a draw for an increased pedestrian presence in the area, as well as providing for continuous pedestrian safety.

Part of the reclaimed pavement on 9th becomes a two-way bike lane that is separated from the road by a curb. Bike traffic soars over the intersection by elevating the path over 4th Avenue on a bridge that echoes the elegance of the elevated subway platform behind it. Under the subway platform, a bike co-op will feature a bike sharing program and a public workshop for bike mechanics of all levels. Safe and secure bike racks near the subway stops and the area bus stops will further enhance the multimodal nature of this transportation hub.

Vehicular traffic patterns shift on both 4th Avenue and 9th Street. The roads are narrowed and the median around the subway vents along 4th Avenue is raised and planted which will significantly slow traffic. In addition, all parallel parking will be replaced with reverse diagonal parking that alternates from one side of the road to the other mid-block effectively forming a chicane. There are drop-off zones for service vehicles and buses to accommodate their special needs. Pedestrians will be guided to the crosswalks with plantings along the side of the road and in the medians.

Our vision for the 21st Century Street draws from the successful pedestrian urban centers of the past and present to create a modern intersection that prioritizes the pedestrian over the vehicle while allowing a variety of transportation modes to thrive in a specialized environment.