Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Park Near Lincoln Tunnel Proposed by Hell's Kitchen Groups

By Mathew Katz | December 19, 2012 8:22am

HELL'S KITCHEN — The path to the Lincoln Tunnel could soon become a bit more green.

Community groups have come together to propose a park running along Dyer Avenue — the street that brings vehicles to and from the tunnel — between Ninth and 10th avenues.

The park would span the east side of the street, between West 34th and 35th streets, taking up the space equivalent to roughly three lanes. Only one of the lanes is currently in use — the lane leading to the tunnel — while one is a traffic island and the other is unused.

A group of neighborhood organizations, including the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association and CHEKPEDS came up with the plan over the summer.

The first parts of the proposal — shifting all the lanes to the west and getting rid of the median to make room for the park — will come before Community Board 4's Transportation Committee at its meeting Wednesday night.

Any changes to the street would require the blessing of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns Dyer Avenue. The Port Authority did not respond to requests for comment.

The street currently has three lanes leading out of the tunnel and one leading in. According to supporters, the Port Authority plans to remove one outbound lane to reduce traffic to West 34th Street's Select Bus Service lane, meaning the park's creation would not create any more traffic.

"The proposal would only use leftover space, it would not take away any lanes of traffic," said Christine Berthet, the committee chair.

"This is really a request to organize the leftover parts."

Community Board 4's Transportation Committee will discuss the Dyer Avenue park proposal at its meeting on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. at 351 W. 42nd St.