When it comes to the proposed Nets basketball arena in Downtown Brooklyn, a majority of Prospect Heights residents are uneasy about increased traffic congestion, higher taxpayer costs, and the impact of prolonged construction on the neighborhood.

The Pratt Institute Center for Community and Environmental Development, an urban planning center in Brooklyn, interviewed more than 400 neighborhood residents and business owners about their concerns about developer Bruce Ratner’s proposed $2 billion Brooklyn Atlantic Yards Project. They found that on a scale of “not at all concerned” to “very concerned,”82% of respondents were either “concerned” or “very concerned” about the proposal.

The Atlantic Yards project, which calls for a 19,000-seat arena, 2.2 million square feet of office space, 300,000 square feet of retail space, and 4,500 residential units, will most heavily impact the Prospect Heights neighborhood.

The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council, which consists of a number of block associations, commissioned the study because “while the footprint of the proposed Atlantic Yards development will lie almost entirely within Prospect Heights, the statements made by public officials, private developers, and the media have generally not addressed the priorities and concerns of neighborhood residents,” it said in a statement.

With regard to the Atlantic Yards, the study found that 78% of respondents were “very concerned” about traffic congestion, 74% were “very concerned” about taxpayer costs, 73% were “very concerned” about the potential impact of the estimated 10-year construction plan, and 64% were “very concerned” that the proposed Atlantic Yards would be out of scale with the surrounding community. Eminent domain was also a source of anxiety for the community with 62% of respondents “very concerned” it would displace neighbors.

“The findings of the study indicate tremendous sensitivity in Prospect Heights to Atlantic Yards’ potential to negatively impact this neighborhood,” the president of the Pratt Institute Center, Gib Veconi, said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for Bruce Ratner, Michelle DeMilly, had no comment on the study.

The study also found that residents did support development in Prospect Heights, but strongly agreed it should fit in with existing buildings in size and style, should include affordable housing for varying income levels, and should provide permanent jobs and economic opportunities for the community.

“Prospect Heights residents generally would like to see development in their community,” said the executive director of the Pratt Institute Center, Brad Lander. “On average, they did not agree that the neighborhood should simply stay as it is, or that new development should not take place.”

Assessing the current neighborhood, 92% of respondents said public transportation was the strongest characteristic of Prospect Heights, 89% said access to public parks and open space, 83% said a socially and economically diverse community, and 78% said architectural quality. The characteristic viewed as most important by 28% of respondents for maintaining the quality of life in the neighborhood was a sense of community, followed by safety and security at 21%, and social and economic diversity at 16%. The areas most in need of improvement included public education, safety and security, housing opportunities, parking, and traffic safety.