Quantcast

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

More Crosswalks, Medians and Bike Lines Coming to NYC Neighborhoods: Mayor

By Trevor Kapp | March 21, 2017 4:15pm
 The city will undergo a massive construction project to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the mayor said.
The city will undergo a massive construction project to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the mayor said.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Trevor Kapp

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — The city will break ground on a massive new construction project aimed at making crosswalks, medians and bike lanes safer as part of the latest phase of Vision Zero, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.

“You’ll see new crosswalks, wider sidewalks, more protective bike lanes,” the mayor said. “[The Department of Transportation] will be doing major improvements in all five boroughs.”

So far, 25 pedestrians have been killed across the city this year, compared to 29 at the same point a year ago, DOT statistics show.

The department conducted a safety initiative from March 6 through March 12, during which it issued 1,915 failure-to-yield summonses — an increase of 121 percent compared to the same stretch last year. Police issued 12,088 other Vision Zero summonses during the week-long initiative, officials said.

Through Sunday, the NYPD had issued 15,497 summonses to drivers blocking bike lanes, a 23 percent spike from last year, police said.

Here’s a breakdown of the changes are coming to each borough:

Manhattan

Flatiron and Greenwich Village, Fifth Avenue, 23rd Street to Washington Square Park: Protected bike lanes.

Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights: New pedestrian space, shorter crossings, new markings to clarify vehicle movements and signal timing changes to improve traffic flow.

Downtown, Centre Street: A new two-way protected bike lane will be set up in front of City Hall.

Brooklyn

Downtown Brooklyn, Tillary Street: The pedestrian-bike entrance leading to the Brooklyn Bridge promenade will be widened. Added crosswalks.

Williamsburg, South 4th Street and Borinquen Place: Improved bike and pedestrian access to the Williamsburg Bridge ahead of the L-train shutdown.

Fourth Avenue: Installation of parking-protected bike lanes and painted pedestrian refuge islands. There will also be elevated medians, larger pedestrian refuge islands as well as more trees, greenery and art installations.

Marine Park, Flatbush Avenue and Belt Parkway: Bike and pedestrian crossings over the Belt Parkway exit/entrance ramps are among several projects planned along Flatbush Avenue this year. It will expand on improvements to Jamaica Bay Greenway made at Avenue V and Hendrickson Street.

Staten Island

Midland Park, Greeley Avenue: Traffic circles will be added to increase safety and deter speeding.

Stapleton, Van Duzer Street, Targee Street and St. Pauls Avenue: Roughly five miles of bicycle lanes will be added to link  the neighborhoods of Tompkinsville, Stapleton, Concord and Park Hill. In addition to creating a bicycle link to the ferry, the project is expected to calm traffic, add parking and create safer pedestrian crossings near schools.

St. George, Staten Island Ferry: The DOT says it will improve biking connections to the ferry.

Bronx

Mott Haven, 138th Street and Major Deegan to Third Ave: Improved bike and pedestrian access to the Madison Avenue Bridge. New signalized crossings will also be added.

Allerton, Waring Avenue to Pelham Parkway North, Boston Road: Two new signals will provide improved access for pedestrians and widened sidewalks will provide shorter crossings. New traffic patterns will clarify and simplify traffic movements.

Fordham, East Fordham Road, Washington Avenue to Southern Boulevard: Corridor safety improvements will come to those intersections.  

Queens

Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards: Select Bus Service will be added along the Q52 and Q53 routes.

Jamaica, Jamaica Avenue: Pedestrian islands will be added as part of a school safety initiative.

Bayside, 23rd Avenue and Corporal Kennedy Boulevard: An intersection redesign will create simpler, safer pedestrian crossings and clearer vehicle traffic patterns.