Residents Wondering What Impact Ikea Will Have On Surrounding Neighborhoods

(photo credit: Brooklyn Paper)

Get Ready For Madness On Our Streets !

Yes, the opening of the Red Hook Ikea is finally upon us. When the Swedish mega store opens its doors on June 18th, traffic is bound to increase drastically on local streets. While Ikea is coming up with some public transportation alternatives such as direct buses from nearby subway stations to the store and Water Taxi service to lower Manhattan, the sheer volume of cars driving through Carroll Gardens and Red Hook will be insane.
The subject came up at last night's Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association meeting and today, I received the email on the subject from a concerned resident.
What are your thoughts, dear reader?

From Pardon Me For Asking's mailbox:


After reading yesterday's store in the NY Post "Ikea Goes To SE-A in B'klyn" I just had to write:

"IKEA officials said the city has agreed to hang over a dozen signs directing drivers from the BQE to IKEA, via the shortest routes on local streets."

As one of the residents of the "local streets" mentioned in the article (Summit between Hicks and Columbia Streets) I have been dreading the day IKEA opens. I now dread even more the possible appearance of a sign from the city directing traffic down our street to the store. Even if not Summit Street, the local traffic is bound to increase considerably. The article estimates between 14,000 -- 20,000 cars on a Saturday!

Despite proximity to the BQE our block itself has been quite quiet and low-traffic to the point of local kids playing ball in the street. I love my neighborhood.

If someone owns an SUV, what are the odds they are going to leave it at home and drag all their modular IKEA crap home on public transportation? IKEA spokesman Joseph Roth is dreaming!

I know I can't be alone in my worry about this issue..

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