Red Hook: The Bicycle Master Plan Design Competition

Program Statement:

Located in the southeast corner of Brooklyn, Red Hook is the only neighborhood close to Manhattan that is under served by public transportation. One train station at Smith/9th Streets in nearby Carroll Gardens is a mile from the heart of Red Hook, which is otherwise served by two bus lines and a Water Taxi that goes to Wall Street (but only in the summer months). Because transportation options are limited, Red Hook residents are unable to conveniently connect to the city around them and as a result, the neighborhood itself has experienced sporadic economic development.

The Forum for Urban Design is launching a design competition to re-imagine Red Hook as the most bicycle friendly neighborhood in all of New York. Notonly could bicycling become the predominant method of transportation for neighborhood residents, it could become a destination for urban cyclists and foster sustainable development.

The design competition has three components: one emphasizing architecture,the second emphasizing urban planning and design, and the third emphasizing feasibility (i.e. funding sources). 1. retrofitting a bike garage (or“loft”) at the Smith/9th Street Station, and 2. connecting this elevated train stop to the rest of the neighborhood via dedicated bike lanes and other bike amenities, 3. identifying funding sources such as the reauthorization of federal surface transportation legislation, foundations,and commercial sponsors.

The immediate goal of this project is to make Red Hook more accessible for local commuters and safer for local recreational cyclists; however, the greater vision is to spur sustainable economic development by attracting cyclists from around New York City to enjoy the Red Hook waterfront and other neighborhood treasures. Additionally, by focusing on the Smith/9thStreet Station, we hope to encourage MTA to think about how they can rehabilitate it in a way that facilitates other methods of transportation.

Register: Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Submit: Friday, August 29, 2008

First Prize: $4,000
4 Runners-Up: $1,000
Crowd Favorite: $500

For more information, please visit our website: www.forumforurbandesign.org