Residents hope to save Brooklyn Heights Promenade

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - The Brooklyn Heights Promenade offers residents and visitors an unobstructed view of the Manhattan skyline. It is an escape from busy city life. This community will not give it all up without a fight.

"We came up with 'chalk the walk' as a way to get the community out here to write why the promenade means so much to them," said Ann Dooley, who has become the "chalk girl."

After learning of upcoming Brooklyn-Queens Expressway renovations that would affect this area, she and her neighbors started a group called Save the Promenade. They feel this is a good way to draw attention to their cause. A petition to keep this walkway has more than 16,000 signatures so far.

"I hope that this will get the attention of elected officials to show them that we are united in this and that we are willing to work together," Dooley said. "This is not a protest. We want to be able to collaborate."

This esplanade is supposed to shut down for several years while the triple cantilever that supports it and also carries the BQE is repaired. The city's solution is to have a six-lane highway at the promenade level.

The Brooklyn Heights Association's Peter Bray is suggesting the city keep the promenade and create three lanes stacked on top of another three lanes to the west.

"We will be distributing signs this coming week. We'll have buttons," Bray said. "The objective is to make as many people aware who really value this promenade."

A DOT Spokesperson told Fox 5 that the mayor will look at the newest proposals but that the option the city has already come up with will have the least impact on local streets.

Work is expected to begin in 2021 and will last for several years.