I am not a member of the Park Slope Civic Council but I did attend their recent Livable Cities brunch, an eat bagels-drink coffee-and-brainstorm event about improving the livability of the streets in Park Slope. In attendance were local activists, merchants, politicians, and concerned citizens.

The meeting was led by the very convivial Dave Kenney of Dope on the Slope, who asked attendees to list their hot spots, specific locations or issues that apply to the entire neighborhood.We were given about 15 minutes to jot down the  issues and the impact on livability.

After that exercise, we shared our hot spots with the others at our tables. Then each table came up with their top three or four hot spots and presented them to the entire group.

Many hot spots were put forward but the freeway-like quality of 8th Avenue and Prospect Park West was cited over and over again. Slopers hate the speed of traffic on those avenues and the impact on the quality of life. Recent deaths on 8th Avenue near Carroll Street were also  cited. The use of these avenues as arteries to/from the Prospect Expressway and to /from Grand Army Plaza was also cited.

Overall, it was an interesting and civilized outpouring of complaints. Here are most of them in no particular order:

–4th Avenue and 9th Street, a major access point for commuters, considered a precarious traffic situation.

–The crossing from the Brooklyn Green Market to the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza is frightening and dysfunctional

–The House of Whimsy on Second Street and Seventh Avenue cited as an eyesore and danger.

–Problems with bike lane on Fifth Avenue.

–Crossing 4th Avenue is difficult; risk of getting stranded on the median.

–Solid gates on storefronts creates an unfriendly atmosphere for commerce.

–Residential addresses not clear enough. 1 out of 10 addresses are visible, which makes for UPS Fresh Direct increased circling of blocks. .

–MS 51 kids create an explosion of energy at lunch time. Little supervision and not enough receptacles for their trash.

–No provision for picking people up at Atlantic Avenue LIRR Station.

–Hydrants that don't work.

–Quality of sidewalks, tree roots creates pedestrian danger.

–Lack of snow removal by residents creates pedestrian danger.

–Salt on sidewalks creates  danger of electrocution and power outages.

–Bikes on the sidewalk creates pedestrian danger.

–Extra large delivery trucks in the neighborhood.

–Fresh Direct trucks.

–No provisions for trucks delivering goods to merchants.

There was a solution phase to this meeting as well. And it was really fun and exciting to hear people's ideas.

There was a fascinating slide show about traffic calming techniques that elicited a great deal of enthusiastic discussion.

Slowing the speed limit on 8th and PPW was another suggested solution to the problems on those avenues, as well as other traffic calming solutions.

Attractive pedestrian bridges for Fourth Avenue were mentioned.

Someone suggested painting bike lanes a brighter color like the bright green they use in Brooklyn Heights.

No car weekends were suggested.

Free bikes. Congestion pricing…

There was even one shovel ready project discussed: Reopen the closed entrance to the fourth Avenue and 9th Street  F train station on the east side of Fourth Avenue. It's been stalled for 25 years but is apparently ready to go…That would mean that commuters wouldn't have to cross that dangerous crossing.

A summary of the meeting will be posted on the Park Slope Civic Council websites as well as next steps.