Ocean + Parkside Avenue Park Perimeter Restoration

Through $16.25 million in funding from the Mayor’s Office, NYC DOT, the Brooklyn Borough President and New York City Council District 40, Prospect Park Alliance is restoring the Ocean and Parkside Avenue perimeters from Flatbush Avenue to Parade Place.

The project will include a new protected two-way bike lane along Ocean Avenue and a monument to Brooklyn trailblazer Shirley Chisholm at the Ocean + Parkside park entrance. Park perimeter improvements will include a reconstructed sidewalk bordered by an allee of trees, new historic lighting, seating and trash cans. Through the support of Council Member Rita Joseph, further restoration of the Parkside Avenue perimeter will take place in future phases.

This project continues the Alliance’s work to restore the perimeter of the east side of the park, which began with the restoration of the Flatbush perimeter in 2020,, and features the first new entrances to the park since the 1940s.

This project will be undertaken in 800-foot phases, with each phase slated to take roughly two months to complete. Currently construction is underway on the first phase of Ocean Avenue starting at Flatbush Avenue. During each phase, parking will be off-limits along the park perimeter within the phase length.

Learn more about the project, including the Shirley Chisholm Monument.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Bike Lane Protected from Vehicular Traffic?
The protected, two-way bike lane on the park’s Ocean Avenue perimeter is elevated to sidewalk level and separated from the street with a strip of granite cobblestones as well as from the sidewalk by a grass verge featuring new trees and historic street lighting.

Will the rush hour lanes along Ocean Avenue be impacted by the new design?
The reconstruction does not impact the number vehicular lanes on Ocean Avenue: two vehicle lanes in each direction, including one rush hour lane in each direction. The width of the rush hour lanes was slightly reduced to 10′ to accommodate the protected bike lanes, which still meets DOT standards and accommodates emergency vehicles and MTA buses.

Why are trees being removed along the park perimeter?
Many of the trees that are designated for removal are in poor health and pose a future risk to the public. Other trees are being removed to accommodate new infrastructure, including stormwater catch basins, traffic signals and street lights; of these trees, nearly half will be transplanted elsewhere in the park. In addition, 162 new trees will be planted as part of the new design, which will feature an allée of trees alongside the sidewalk.