Completion of Sensor Network will allow the team of BGI, NYC DOT, Numina, and RPA to analyze and highlight the Greenway’s crucial role in the city’s transportation network
BROOKLYN, NY – On Thursday, March 9, the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) and partners announced the launch of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway (BWG) user study and the full installation of the Greenway’s sensor network. The 31 sensors in the network will track the use of the 26-mile BWG and the modes of transportation being used, and they are located at intervals along the entire greenway between Greenpoint and East New York. The sensor network will allow for a fuller picture of how the greenway has become a transportation artery for the borough and added to Brooklyn’s health and recreational opportunities.
“This is an exciting time to be launching this study, especially as interest in, and use of, the Greenway is high after pandemic usage. The BWG is one of the most heavily used greenways in New York City, and we are eager to know more about how it’s being used so we can continue to advocate for it. In 2023 and 2024, the city will be creating a new citywide greenways master plan, and we hope that a better understanding of the BWG will help shape greenway planning efforts across New York City,” said Hunter Armstrong, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative. “Understanding how people from all walks of life access and use the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway – along all 26 miles – is essential in understanding how to ensure equitable access to our city’s green spaces. The more interconnected and accessible we can make NYC’s walking, running, and biking network, the healthier and greener our city will become.”
The launch of the study comes at the completion of the sensor network installation. The sensors, developed and monitored by Brooklyn-based data company Numina, have already started gathering data that can be used to demonstrate how the Greenway’s first- and last-mile bike and pedestrian connections impact greenhouse gas emissions, transit ridership, access to parks and open space, and other key metrics. Field research conducted over the past two years also collected additional data regarding who was using the Greenway, for what purposes, frequency of use, and other metrics to determine the Greenway’s role within the borough and New York City’s larger mobility system.
“As a Brooklyn-based business, we’re honored to partner with the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and the Regional Plan Association to collect first-of-their-kind, privacy-first data and insights along the Greenway. Our hope is that this study will create a new standard for evaluating multimodal infrastructure, which will help BGI get the resources it deserves and also inform how we develop these critical connectors across our borough, city, and beyond,” said Tara Pham, CEO and Founder of Numina.
“The wealth of data from BGI’s ongoing study of the Greenway’s user mobility patterns will be key in understanding how to maximize green infrastructure throughout New York City,” Ellis Calvin, Research Manager for Regional Plan Association, said. “The Greenway is a key component of RPA’s Five Borough Bikeway, our proposed network of priority bike lanes across all five boroughs, which is essential to creating a carbon-free New York. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with BGI, Numina, DOT, and other partners in this project.”
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About Brooklyn Greenway Initiative
Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to the development, establishment and long-term stewardship of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway – a 26-mile protected and landscaped route for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities that, when complete, will connect Brooklyn’s storied and iconic waterfront, parks and open space, commercial and cultural corridors, and new tech and innovation hubs for 2.65 million Brooklyn residents, over 1.1 million people who work in Brooklyn, and more than 15 million annual visitors from across the City and around the world.
Founded in 2004, BGI works with community, non-profit, business, and government partners to create and fulfill a comprehensive vision for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, while at the same time building awareness and support among residents and employees who live and work along its route.
Since its founding, BGI has channeled more than $218 million in public and private investment toward implementation of the Greenway, leveraged public and private investment of $2.38 million toward the creation of the Naval Cemetery Landscape as a new park-like space and memorial meadow adjacent to the Greenway, and conceptualized or supported the development and stewardship of other open spaces and public amenities along the Greenway. Approximately 18 miles of completed Greenway are actively used by an estimated ten thousand cyclists and pedestrians daily.
BGI hosts numerous public events and programs designed to activate the Greenway and Naval Cemetery Landscape, foster critical support and stewardship for this vital public infrastructure, and build awareness and engagement of BGI as the organization dedicated to their long-term care.
About Numina
Numina is a Brooklyn-based urban technology company whose sensor and data platform helps cities measure how people use public space and support urban planners and policy makers to design more walkable, bikeable, and accessible communities. They are a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and the global grand prize winner of Toyota Mobility Foundation’s City Architecture of Tomorrow Challenge. Past projects have been supported by The Knight Foundation, The Clinton Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and customers in more than 35 cities globally.
