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September 27, 2012
Gridlock Sam's warning: don't drive to Downtown Brooklyn this weekend (but they're still selling arena-related parking)
Atlantic Yards Report
Carmageddon, Ratner-style!
Traffic consultant Sam Schwartz, aka Gridlock Sam, warns in his weekend column/press release, Don’t even THINK of driving in Downtown Brooklyn this weekend! Downtown Brooklyn Streets to be Jam Packed with Barclays Center Jay-Z Concerts Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Atlantic Antic Cuts Off Atlantic Ave. on Sunday.
That may be wise advice, but Schwartz also served as a consultant to the Barclays Center, which offers a link to pre-paid parking in and around Downtown Brooklyn, including along Atlantic Avenue, site of the Atlantic Antic.
And though the city Department of Transportation warns that Atlantic Avenue will be closed from 11 am through 6 pm Sunday, Schwartz warns that Atlantic Avenue "may not reopen fully until 7:30 p.m."
What does that mean for those buying remote parking along Atlantic Avenue, with arrival beginning at 6 pm and a shuttle bus along Atlantic supposed to begin at that hour? Unclear, but it seems likely there will be delays. The Barclays Parking web site does not warn potential purchasers of that possibility.
Related coverage...
NBC New York, Gridlock Alert Near Barclays for Jay-Z Concerts
Anyone planning to attend the Jay-Z concerts marking the grand opening of the Barclays Center this weekend are urged to take public transportation there, and drivers in the area should be aware of a major gridlock alert there.
The new sports and concert arena in downtown Brooklyn is expected to draw almost 20,000 people to the busiest section in Brooklyn -- Flatbush and Atlantic avenues -- at the height of Friday's rush hour alone.
According to local traffic expert Gridlock Sam, drivers should avoid Flatbush Avenue from Tillary Street to Grand Army Plaza, and Atlantic Avenue from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to Bedford Avenue, as well as streets near the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, particularly from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
NY Daily News, Snarling traffic and high ticket prices for Jay-Z concert to christen Brooklyn's Barclays Center
Brooklyn may not have 99 problems, but on Friday night, it will certainly have two: affording a ticket to the first concert at the new Barclays Center and dealing with the traffic nightmare that the Jay-Z show will cause.
The rap superstar will christen the sparkling arena with the first of eight concerts — and the average ticket price has shot to $223, with floor seats selling for an average of $667, according to an analysis by SeatGeek.com, a ticket search engine.
The Wall Street Journal, Arena Parking in Play
Some Brooklyn parking garage owners are jacking up prices and preparing special event rates in preparation for the thousands of people who may defy the warnings of city officials and drive to the Barclays Center when it opens Friday.
One lot on the corner of Atlantic and Grand avenues—more than half a mile from the arena—is advertising a $30 flat rate for Barclays events, said owner Moe Rahmati. Another nearby garage on Washington Avenue will offer a special event rate, though the price hasn't been decided, said Megan Kian, a spokeswoman for Enterprise Parking Systems.
...Brooklyn residents are still expecting the worst. Nick Baytler, 29, of Park Slope, said he plans to come home early every day from his job in medical sales to beat the Nets game crowds looking to park on his street. "I'm bracing myself," said Mr. Baytler, but added, "We'll survive because they'll leave when the game is over."
mcbrooklyn, Gridlock Alert for Downtown Brooklyn this Weekend
What with the Atlantic Antic and the Barclays Center concerts, "Gridlock Sam" (Sam Schwartz) has declared a Gridlock Alert for Downtown Brooklyn, along Flatbush and Atlantic avenues all weekend.
Posted by eric at September 27, 2012 11:36 PM