Mobilizing the Region

Sheridan-Hunts Point Team Recommends Transforming the Expressway into a Boulevard

Vincent Pellecchia — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:39:37 +0000

The Modified-Combined traffic scenario – first presented in March – transforms the Sheridan Expressway into a boulevard with medians, signalized intersections and crosswalks, and creates a direct connection from Bruckner Expressway to the Hunts Point Peninsula.

Draft recommendations from a multi-agency, TIGER II-funded study analyzing the impacts of modifications to the Sheridan Expressway and South Bronx roadway network on surrounding neighborhoods, received mixed reviews from community leaders, advocates, residents and elected officials this past Tuesday night.

Tuesday night’s presentation, although long, was ultimately short on specific recommendations. The team’s main recommendation was the selection of the Modified-Combined traffic scenario – first presented earlier this year in March. This scenario transforms the Sheridan Expressway into a boulevard with medians, signalized intersections and crosswalks, and creates a direct connection from Bruckner Expressway to the Hunts Point Peninsula.

Additional recommendations included in previous presentations were omitted from Tuesday’s presentation, but the inter-agency team promised that a complete, clear list of draft recommendations will be posted on the website shortly in order to avoid any confusion.

Benefits of the Modified-Combined Scenario

The Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance (SBRWA), of which TSTC is a member, has largely supported the Modified-Combined scenario — the best first step toward realizing the kind of positive road and land-use transformation the community has sought for over a decade.

The Modified-Combined scenario incorporates many of the improvements SBRWA has been calling for, including:

Construction of ramps that provide direct access from the Bruckner Expressway to the Hunts Point Peninsula which will move trucks off local streets – including Hunts Point Avenue – and support economic development in the area
Maximization of developable land along the waterfront and in the footprint of the Sheridan Expressway
Increased pedestrian access to Starlight Park, Concrete Plant Park and the Bronx River
Reduction of truck traffic on local streets and increased pedestrian safety through the closure of the southbound Sheridan off-ramp at Westchester Avenue
Redesign of the hazardous East 177th Street/Devoe Avenue/East Tremont Avenue area
Pedestrian improvements on Bruckner Boulevard that calm traffic, introduce greenery, make crossings safer and reconnect neighborhoods

Moving forward

Although these recommendations align with SBRWA’s goals, implementation still requires meaningful engagement and consultation with the community. To reinforce that work remains to be done, SBRWA held a press conference Wednesday morning praising the City for recommendations that could improve the South Bronx community while also calling for the City and the State to continue to move the process forward and address outstanding issues, including:

Closure of the northbound Sheridan off-ramp at Westchester Avenue as an essential step in fully realizing community goals for park access, pedestrian safety and neighborhood connectivity
Traffic modeling for four-way direct access (four ramps instead of two) from the Bruckner Expressway to the Hunts Point peninsula. The City’s recommendations discuss only two ramps Eastbound from Bruckner Boulevard, not an additional two ramps Westbound from Bruckner Boulevard. Four ramps provide the most access to commercial vehicles that need access to Hunts Point and keep more trucks off local streets
Sustained and meaningful planning with community residents to ensure quality-of-life benefits are gained and displacement of current residents and businesses is prevented

Also, vigilant advocacy with the next New York City mayor, transportation and planning commissioners is needed to ensure this project moves forward. The current administration has indicated that this should not be a study that sits on a shelf. But, the sentiment is less secure in 2014.

A full press release and a companion document detailing the SBRWA’s position can be found here and here. The draft recommendations are expected to be available soon on the project website where readers can comment on them before final recommendations are made in June.

Garden State Benefit Just Three Weeks Away

Joseph Cutrufo — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:39:32 +0000

Join Tri-State for our 2013 Garden State Benefit in New Brunswick, New Jersey on Thursday, June 13 from 6 – 9 p.m. at The Frog and the Peach (29 Dennis Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901). Meet the innovators, advocates and leaders who are making New Jersey a better place for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders.

Don’t wait until the last minute; get your tickets today!

This year’s honorees include:

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg
New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner James S. Simpson and Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Coordinator Sheree Davis
AARP-New Jersey
Patty Woodworth, owner of Action Wheels Bike Shop in Deptford, NJ

70-Year-Old Man Reacts to Citi Bike: “I’ll Ride That Sucker, No Problem.”

Joseph Cutrufo — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:35:20 +0000

Retired stone dealer John DeRosa, 70, just won the “debate” on bike share in New York City.

“Let me tell you something. This is a damn good idea. I’m 70 years old. I’ll ride that sucker, no problem.”

Wednesday Winners (& Losers)

Tri-State Transportation Campaign — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:31:10 +0000

A bill sponsored by New York State Senator Daniel Squadron (right) closes a loophole in “Hayley and Diego’s Law.” Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh (left) will work to get the bill passed in the Assembly. | Photo: Noah Kazis

A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in tri-state transportation news.

Winners

NY State Senator Daniel Squadron and NY State Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh – The New York State Senate passed a bill that would close a loophole that hinders police efforts to better protect pedestrians and cyclists. The bill was championed by Senator Squadron and Assemblymember Kavanaugh, who will now shepherd it through the Assembly.

NJ State Senator Diane Allen – Allen introduced the Senate version of a bill that aims to improve pedestrian safety across the state.

CB 10 Board Member Doris Cruz and BRAKES – The advocacy work of Bay Ridge Advocates for Keeping Everyone Safe has supported improved pedestrian safety measures for Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge. And former CB 10 Transportation Chairwoman Doris Cruz called out opponents of the plan, suggesting they were speeders themselves. Cruz said “critics of the Fourth Avenue proposal [should] take a look at themselves — or at least at their speedometers.”

Shore Line East – The southeastern Connecticut commuter railway is expanding service, something advocates have urged for years.

City of Yonkers, NY – Yonkers adopted green building standards that would create incentives for transit-oriented development.

Losers

Islip Town Board – Located 2.6 miles from the nearest train station and covered in parking, the Islip Pines project that the Town Board pushed forward this week won’t do anything to reduce vehicle miles traveled on Long Island. It might be mixed-use, but it’s certainly not smart growth.

New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority – NJSEA approved the plans to expand the American Dream Meadowlands project without holding the developer accountable to fund transit improvements.

Southwest Connecticut Metro-North Commuters – “Carmageddon” was mostly avoided, but increased congestion caused by residual effects of the collision on the Metro-North New Haven line near Bridgeport led to longer commutes earlier this week.

To Complete a Low-Volume Residential Street, Make Motorists Slow Down and Share

Joseph Cutrufo — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:51:22 +0000

A New Jersey bill would allow neighborhoods to request lower speed limits on residential streets without sidewalks, which would improve safety for walking and cycling. | Photo: visualphotos.com

How do you implement complete streets policies on low-volume streets in residential communities where it’s rare to find sidewalks, bike lanes or even shoulders?

A New Jersey bill that took a step forward last week aims to address exactly that. If enacted, the bill would make it easier for residents of neighborhoods where most streets lack sidewalks to have speed limits lowered in their communities. Only roadways classified in the New Jersey Administrative Code as Residential Access Streets, which ”are designed to carry the least amount of traffic at the lowest speed, and are generally found in residential developments,” would be eligible.

This bill would require the Commissioner of Transportation to designate a 15 or 20 miles per hour speed limit on all residential access streets within a community or neighborhood, upon the request of the community’s association or a majority of the residents in the neighborhood, with the approval of the appropriate governing body.

While the bill’s provisions would mostly be used in small towns and rural communities, it actually takes a cue from speed reduction techniques used in cities. Neighborhoods in New York City, for example, can apply to become Neighborhood Slow Zones, where speed limits are reduced to 20 mph and traffic calming devices are installed. In England, instead of lowering speeds one neighborhood at a time, some cities have adopted default 20 mph default speed limits for all residential streets.

The bill, which is co-sponsored by Republican Scott Rudder and Democrat Celeste Riley, highlights the challenges of implementing complete streets on rural and exurban roads, where the cost of sidewalks and dedicated bicycle facilities can be more difficult to justify than on urban streets. It is important to remember, however, that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to implementing complete streets. While a “complete” urban arterial that accommodates hundreds of vehicles each hour might include wide sidewalks, cycle tracks and crossing islands, a small town residential complete street that carries only a handful of vehicles each hour could operate more like a woonerf – a street with slow-moving traffic where pedestrians, cyclists and motorists share the same space.

The provisions of this bill can only work if motorists comply with lower speed limits, so when municipalities roll out new speed limit signs, added enforcement and context-sensitive traffic calming measures must also be considered.

Citi Bike App Now Available for iPhone and Android

Joseph Cutrufo — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:55:54 +0000

Get the free Official Citi Bike app on Google Play or the App Store.

Increased Focus on Pedestrian Safety around Transit Needed in Connecticut and Nassau County

Renata Silberblatt — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:16:43 +0000

Connecticut Pedestrian Fatalities 2009-2011 within ¼ mile of a CT Transit Bus Stop. Orange dots represent 2009-2011 pedestrian fatalities on roads where pedestrians allowed within ¼ mile from a CT Transit stop. CT Transit bus stop file from CT Transit; map created in ArcMap with a Streets basemap. Pedestrian fatality data from NHTSA’s FARS database.

Note: In May 2012, TSTC published an analysis that examined pedestrian fatalities from 2008 through 2010 in Nassau County and Connecticut in relation to their proximity to Long Island Bus (now Nassau Inter-County Express) stops or CT Transit bus stops. This MTR post features a refined methodology, as well as information on 2011 pedestrian fatalities, the most up-to-date information available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System database.

Nassau County Pedestrian Fatalities 2009-2011 within ¼ mile of a Long Island Bus Stop. Yellow dots represent 2009-2011 pedestrian fatalities on roads where pedestrians allowed within ¼ mile of a Long Island Bus stop. Long Island Bus stop file from Steven Romalewski of Spatiality; map created in ArcMap with a Streets basemap. Pedestrian fatality data from NHTSA’s FARS database.

Getting to and from the bus stop shouldn’t be a dangerous activity, but for pedestrians in Connecticut and Nassau County, Long Island, it might be. In an examination of pedestrians killed by vehicles in Connecticut and Nassau County, TSTC found that large percentages – from 43 percent to almost 89 percent – of pedestrians killed by vehicles on roads where pedestrians are allowed were struck within 1/4 mile of a bus stop.

TSTC’s analysis of Connecticut pedestrian fatalities on roads where pedestrians are allowed shows that from 2009 through 2011, 43.2 percent of pedestrians killed by vehicles were killed within 1/4 mile of a CT Transit bus stop. Between 2008 and 2010, 54.1 percent of pedestrians killed by vehicles were killed within 1/4 mile of a CT Transit bus stop.

The analysis looks at six of CT Transit’s eight regional divisions: Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, New Britain, Waterbury and Meriden. (CT Transit was unable to provide bus stop information for its Bristol or Wallingford divisions.) Including CT Transit bus stops for Bristol and Wallingford, as well as information on bus stops in districts served by other transit agencies (such as Housatonic Area Regional Transit or Greater Bridgeport Transit), would likely increase the percentage of pedestrian fatalities located near transit.

Looking at pedestrian fatalities that occurred within 1/4 mile of a Long Island Bus route[1] in Nassau County shows even more stark results: 88.5 percent of pedestrians killed by vehicles on roads where pedestrians are allowed were within 1/4 mile of a Long Island Bus stop from 2009 through 2011; 63.9 percent between 2008 and 2010.

It’s unclear whether most or any of these fatalities were transit riders, but every transit trip begins with a walking trip, and streets around bus stops or railroad stations tend to have more pedestrian activity – people waiting for a buses or headed to or from a transit facility – than streets without transit. State and municipal departments of transportation must ensure that streets around transit facilities are safe and accessible for pedestrians.

In its efforts to make Hempstead Turnpike safer for pedestrians, the New York State Department of Transportation and NICE have partnered to relocate certain bus stops along the corridor. This partnership can’t end here however, and NYSDOT should continue to work with NICE and Nassau County (and Suffolk County) to develop an Island-wide Safe Routes to Transit program, which would focus on pedestrian safety needs near transit. This partnership should go beyond bus stop relocations and identify additional traffic calming infrastructure that could enhance the safety of anyone who travels in the area—transit users, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike.

Connecticut can also do more to promote pedestrian safety at and around transit locations with a program similar to New Jersey DOT’s Safe Streets to Transit program, which targets grants to municipalities to make access to transit safer for pedestrians.

Pedestrians Killed by Vehicles, Connecticut

CT Transit bus stop file from CT Transit. Bus stop information is for Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain and Meriden. Data analyzed in ArcMap. Pedestrian fatality data from NHTSA’s FARS database.

2009-2011

Number of pedestrians killed by vehicles on roads where pedestrians are allowed	81
Number of fatalities ¼ mile from a CT Transit bus stop	35
Percentage of pedestrians killed ¼ mile from a CT Transit bus stop	43.2 %

2008-2010

Number of pedestrians killed by vehicles on roads where pedestrians are allowed	98
Number of fatalities ¼ mile from a CT Transit bus stop	53
Percentage of pedestrians killed ¼ mile from a CT Transit bus stop	54.1 %

Pedestrians Killed by Vehicles, Nassau County

Long Island Bus stop file from Steven Romalewski of Spatiality. Data analyzed in ArcMap. Pedestrian fatality data from NHTSA’s FARS database.

2009-2011

Number of pedestrians killed by vehicles on roads where pedestrians are allowed	78
Number of fatalities ¼ mile from a LI Bus stop	69
Percentage of pedestrians killed ¼ mile from a LI Bus stop	88.5 %

2008-2010

Number of pedestrians killed by vehicles on roads where pedestrians are allowed	83
Number of fatalities ¼ mile from a LI Bus stop	53
Percentage of pedestrians killed ¼ mile from a LI Bus stop	63.9 %

[1] Because up-to-date information in a mappable form on NICE Bus routes and bus stops is not publicly available, TSTC’s analysis uses Long Island Bus stop information from Steven Romalewski of Spatiality.

What Will a Fulop Administration Mean for Transportation in Jersey City?

Vincent Pellecchia — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:18:51 +0000

When Jersey City Mayor-elect Steven Fulop takes office, what types of transportation policies will he bring with him? | Photo: NJ.com

Change is in the air in Jersey City. On Tuesday, City Councilmember Steven Fulop defeated incumbent Jerramiah Healy to become the next mayor of the Garden State’s second most populous city. This new development begs the question: when Fulop takes office, what types of transportation policies will he bring with him?

Healy’s administration made excellent progress on pedestrian and bicycle policies and infrastructure in Jersey City, so Fulop has some rather large shoes to fill. In 2011, the City adopted a Complete Streets policy, followed in 2012 by a temporary bike lane on Grove Street (which was made permanent earlier this month), and ultimately a plan to install 54.7 miles of bike lanes throughout the city in December. TSTC hopes that Mayor-elect Fulop will not only continue the implementation of these plans, but also step-up enforcement of vehicles that stand or park in bike lanes — a common complaint on Grove Street. Outgoing Mayor Healy also called for BRT during the Pulaski Skyway construction, a provision that TSTC hopes Fulop will also support.

The Mayor-elect’s transportation platform has some positive components: traffic calming measures, parking spaces set aside for car share, and increased PATH and bus service. But there are some red flags that could potentially lead to backsliding on the progress made during Healy’s tenure.

Fulop wants to increase the amount of parking in Jersey City, which he plans to do (in part) by eliminating the prohibition of parking within 25 feet of an intersection or crosswalk. In downtown Jersey City, a place that is incredibly walkable and home to several surface parking lots, one can question the actual need for more parking. More parking means more cars, which means more traffic and less safe roads. Any increase in parking in any part of the city should seriously analyze the very real incentive it creates for more traffic before it is implemented. Perhaps increased transit options, or a city-wide bike-share program could eliminate the need for this parking increase. Instead of adding supply, the Mayor-elect should consider demand-based parking pricing — something that might appeal to Fulop, a former Wall Street trader who holds an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

In addition, as part of the Mayor-elect’s plan to improve bus service, he plans to create a Bus System Task Force that doesn’t include any residents, community groups or advocacy groups that ride the bus or focus on local transportation issues. If such a group is created, it must include these stakeholders.

Recession-Induced VMT Reduction May Not Apply to Long Island

Ben Rosenblatt — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:34:41 +0000

The recent economic recession has slowed and in fact reversed the growth in the nation’s total vehicle miles traveled (VMT). It’s common for this to happen temporarily during a recession as job losses mount or people travel less to save money, but there is compelling evidence that the slowdown this time might be more sustained. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which compiles historical monthly data on driving distances, Americans drove 2,952,601 million miles between March 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013. That’s 2.6 percent fewer miles than the amount Americans drove in the 12 months before the recession began, and it’s even slightly fewer than the amount driven during the final 12 months of the recession.

Examining the six officially-recognized recessions since 1971, none resulted in such lengthy drops in nationwide VMT as the “Great Recession,” which officially ended in June 2009:

Source: Federal Highway Administration

In New York, the decrease in average daily VMT over the last decade has been even more pronounced than at the national level. According to the New York State 2009 NHTS Comparison Report, driving in the state fell at a greater rate between 2001 and 2009 than nationally. In New York City, the decrease was even sharper:

Source: NYS NHTS Comparison Report

However, Long Island is a clear outlier with only a marginal 3.5 percent drop in VMT between 2001 and 2009, a far cry from the 15.2 percent decrease in the Putnam-Rockland-Westchester subregion.

Why the disparity? In all likelihood, it’s because Long Island hasn’t had as much success building the higher-density, transit-accessible and walkable development that attracts young adults, who are leaving or considering leaving Long Island for less auto-dependent lifestyles. This demographic’s transportation and housing preferences does not match up with Long Island’s relative lack of rental housing or high-density development, especially when compared to other parts of the region.

While Long Island is slowly making progress towards a more transit-oriented and smart growth future, it hasn’t come as quickly as other areas of the region. Since 2000, Northern New Jersey’s Hudson Bergen Light Rail corridor has attracted over 10,000 units of housing and explosive population growth in transit-accessible cities like Hoboken and Jersey City. The City of Yonkers has been named the “Best Place to Live in Westchester” thanks in part to easy train access to New York City, and walkable and transit-accessible river towns in the Hudson Valley are seeing an influx of young people and families. With all these changes in the Hudson Valley, it comes as no surprise that Metro-North ridership has surpassed the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), which is now the nation’s second-largest commuter rail system.

Small steps, like the expansion of Sunday bus service in Suffolk County and the potential for future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, can help turn this trend around. Other potential actions, such as adding a third track on the LIRR Main Line and doubling down on smart development projects that can help meet the changing transportation and housing preferences of young people, are needed to help Long Island address the challenges of the 21st century.

TSTC’s Garden State Benefit Less Than One Month Away

Joseph Cutrufo — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:15:46 +0000

Join Tri-State for our 2013 Garden State Benefit on Thursday, June 13 from 6 – 9 p.m. at The Frog and the Peach (29 Dennis Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901).

Space is limited, so purchase tickets today.

Honorees include:

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg
New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner James S. Simpson and Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Coordinator Sheree Davis
AARP-New Jersey
Patty Woodworth, owner of Action Wheels Bike Shop in Deptford, NJ