Ocean Parkway Malls — Attraction in New York

The Ocean Parkway Malls is kind of a misnomer, as it encompasses a wide vehicle roadway, with a miles-long paved walkway on one side (which used to be a dirt-surfaced horse path) with benches, and a 1/3-2/3 divided path on the other, featuring a bikeway on the larger section and benches on the other, separated by about a 3-foot-high wrought iron rail fence.

The Parkway was designed by the same duo that designed Central Park, as well as a number of scenic areas and byways around New York City. It is tree-lined, and if not for becoming choked with traffic much of the time, largely due to much over-development in Brooklyn, would be nice enough to be enjoyed with an occasional glance around while traveling.

The reason for the only 3-star rating is that the bikeway and adjacent bench area have for too long been quite poorly maintained. My own memories go pretty far back, and recall just ONE time that any really good repair work was done. In fact now there are blocks-long stretches of broken and heaved pavement, some VERY poorly patched by just filling in upheaved or depressed sections with asphalt, no attempts at any kind of leveling made at all. This is rather shameful, considering the popularity of bike riding these days.

Avoiding all this dangerous terrain means riding in traffic, usually along the also-busy adjacent service roads; a hazard that is completely avoidable if the bikeway were given that...

It is one of the best places in Brooklyn for jogging, biking, walking, and skating throughout the year. Malls are starting at the church Avenue and extend all the way to Coney Island Beach about 3 to 4 miles each way. There is a connectivity to Prospect Park from Church Avenue in case you want to bike further from the malls. One side is dedicated to pedestrians, and another side is dedicated to bikes. Electric scooters and bikes defeat the purpose of malls for exercising purposes. There are enough benches and trees available if you want to rest and relax. There is some renovation by the city that is going on around Avenue R, S, T, and the bike lane is closed. As you get closer to Coney Island Hospital, the bike lane gets bumpy. It is in need of...

A Bike lane & pedestrian walkway running parallel the Parkway for 5 Miles, from Church Ave. till the Beach. With benches to sit along the way, if you could find one that is in good shape.

FYI City junk contractors. Approximately 2015 the city (through a contractor) replaced the wood slabs of the old benches. Within a year it's decayed into splinters. The old benches were there for Ages with no cracks splinters etc. just needed a recode of paint. The same goes for the road. Driving down on the right lane you will feel the bump of every drain, since the new repavement. We R Yearning for the good old workers who knew what...