! Bedford Ave. 1. BEDFORD AVENUE STATION

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1 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT. STATION. LOCATION The Bedford Avenue subway station provides access to the L train on the Canarsie Line in North Brooklyn. Located on North 7 th Street between Bedford and Driggs Avenue, this station serves the North Side of Williamsburg. Bedford Avenue is the main commercial strip in the neighborhood. Located within the Special Northside Mixed Use District, the intersection of Bedford Avenue and North 7 th Street is the cultural epicenter of this vibrant community. Once primarily industrial, this neighborhood has grown increasingly residential in recent years. STATEN ISLAND! Bedford Ave. (L) QUEENS MANHATTAN BROOKLYN THE BRONX.2 AREA TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES Williamsburg is accessible by a variety of transportation modes. The Brooklyn Queens Expressway runs to the south of the station, and the Metropolitan Avenue exit connects with the neighborhood streets. Metropolitan Avenue, a major arterial, separates the Northside and Southside of Williamsburg, and is also used heavily by trucks en route to industrial Kent Avenue. While Williamsburg is conveniently accessible to lower Manhattan by public transportation, it is relatively isolated from downtown and southern Brooklyn. The nearest subway stations are the G train at Metropolitan Avenue and the L train at Lorimer Street, located approximately half a mile to the east, on the other side of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The Marcy Avenue subway station, located approximately three quarters of a mile southeast provides access to the J, M, and Z trains. The most direct link to the rest of Brooklyn is the B6 bus, which runs northbound on Bedford Avenue and southbound on Driggs Avenue. The New York City Bicycle Master Plan recommends the use of Driggs Avenue and Berry Street as bicycle routes. It further identifies Kent Avenue as a proposed bicycle route requiring capital investment. A number of new bicycle racks were recently installed within a three block radius of the Bedford Avenue subway station.

2 EXISTING CONDITIONS This map illustrates the various types and locations of the surrounding transportation facilities GRAMMERCY PARK GRAMERCY BLISSVILLE UNION SQUARE EAST VILLAGE STUYVESANT TOWN GREENPOINT CALVARY CEMET # NOHO TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK OOSEVELT PARK LOWER EAST SIDE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PARK WILLIAMSBURG BR KENT AV METROPOLITAN AV SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE N ST N ST BEDFORD AV BEDFORD AVE (L) MC GUINNESS BLVD MCGOLDRICK PARK BROOKLYN QUEENS EXPRESSWAY COOPER PARK FULTON FERRY VINEGAR HILL WILLIAMSBURG EAST WILLIAMSBURG CADMAN PLAZA DOWNTOWN BARRY PARK NAVY YARD.25 Miles.5 8 N BEDFORD AVE STATION SUBWAY LINES AND STATIONS LIRR TRACKS OTHER PROJECT SITES TRUCK ROUTES LIRR STATION 2

3 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT 2. SECONDARY STUDY AREA S ST KENT AV WYTHE AV N 4 ST GRAND ST N 5 ST N 3 ST BERRY ST N 7 ST N 6 ST N 8 ST N ST N 9 ST BEDFORD AV METROPOLITAN AV BEDFORD AVE DRIGGS AV ROEBLING ST HAVEMEYER ST E UNION AV MEEKER AV T The secondary study area includes the quarter-mile radius (or approximately a five-minute walk) of the Bedford Avenue subway station. Roughly, this includes the area from North th Street to Metropolitan Avenue, and from Havemeyer Street to Kent Avenue. 2. POPULATION DATA The population pie chart shows the age distribution of residents in census tracts that intersect the secondary study area as reported by the 99 US Census. The total population of these tracts was 8,779. The population of the Northside Williamsburg neighborhood was slightly older than that of New York City as a whole, with more than 4% of residents over the age of 65, compared to 3% citywide, and fewer than 2% of residents under the age of 2, compared to 28% citywide. The remaining 65% of the population was between the ages of 22 and 64. Due to the recent influx of residents to the area, it is expected that the 2 census will reflect a dramatic increase in the total population of these tracts, as well as in the percentage of the year age group. Age/Years % of Population 6.4% 5.8% 4.8% 3.7% 65.% 3.8% 4.9% 3.2%.5%.9% 65+ (4.33%) AGE DISTRIBUTION: 99-2 (2.64%) (65.3%) 3

4 EXISTING CONDITIONS 2.2 JOURNEY TO WORK The Journey to Work chart, based on 99 census data, presents the distribution of various means of transportation among commuters living in census tracts that intersect a quarter-mile radius of the Bedford Avenue subway station. In these census tracts, the dominant mode of transportation to work was the subway, which accounted for more than 53% of commuters who lived in the area. Based on the census data, 3% of commuters drove alone, and seven percent shared rides in a car, truck, or van. Additionally, over 4% of commuters walked to work, seven percent took the bus, and three percent worked at home. The remaining three percent of commuters traveled to work by other means of transportation. When this data is compared to New York City as a whole, a larger percentage of residents in the area of the Bedford Avenue station took the subway to work: 53% of workers in the secondary study area, versus 37% in the city as a whole. Fewer people in the area of the Bedford Avenue subway station drove (9% versus 33%) or took the bus (seven percent versus 3%) than in the city as a whole. In 99, the number of people walking to work was significantly higher (4% versus %) than in the city as a whole, although this number is expected to have declined, due to the loss of manufacturing jobs in the area. Reverse Journey to Work data indicates that of the people who worked in the study area, over 35% traveled to work by car, truck, or van. Only 24% of reverse commuters, the second largest group, traveled to work by subway. Of the remaining modes of travel to work, 4% of reverse commuters shared automobile rides, another nine percent traveled by bus, and % walked to work. Only two percent of reverse commuters traveled by commuter railroad, and under one percent traveled by bicycle or taxicab. The remaining four percent of reverse commuters either worked at home or traveled to work by other means of transportation. JOURNEY TO WORK: 99 Bedford Avenue Secondary Study Area Subway or Elevated Walked Car, Truck, or Van Bus or Trolleybus Carpool Worked at Home Railroad Bicycle Taxicab Other Daily Number of Trips Journey to Work Reverse Journey to Work 4

5 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT 2.3 MODE OF ACCESS TO SUBWAY STATION According to the MTA s 99 Survey of Subway Riders, over 92% of Bedford Avenue subway riders walked to the station. Fewer than six percent arrived by car, and only two percent arrived by bus, rail, or other forms of transportation. 2.4 LAND USE The Bedford Avenue subway station lies within the Northside Special Mixed-Use District, which permits a mixture of residential, commercial, and light manufacturing. Commercial activity exists at the corners and along Bedford Avenue, where older storefronts, such as a Polish bakery, a sausage shop, a travel agency, a check cashing shop, and a plumbing and heating shop, are mixed with newer establishments, such as book shops, cafes, and an organic food shop. The number of additional eating and drinking establishments along Bedford Avenue has been proliferating, and currently includes a juice bar, a vegetarian restaurant, several bars, and various ethnic restaurants. Driggs Avenue is comprised of primarily residential buildings, with commercial storefronts located at the corners and scattered at midblock. RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL /COMMERCIAL OPEN SPACE /PARKS PUBLIC FACILITIES INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION / UTILITY PARKING This map shows the existing land use conditions for the secondary study area VACANT 5

6 EXISTING CONDITIONS Residences in the station area include two- and three- story single-family dwellings as well as four- to five- story multiple dwelling units. Storefronts occupy the ground floors of many of the residential buildings. A few one-story commercial buildings are scattered throughout the area, and several onestory industrial buildings have been converted to commercial or residential use. St. Vincent de Paul s, a church and school, is located a block South of the station area, as are Public School 7 and Boricua College. A block or two west of the station, many buildings still retain industrial and automotive uses. 2.5 ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT The Bedford Avenue subway station is situated within the Special Northside Mixed Use District, which permits a mixture of residential, commercial and light manufacturing. Several blocks surrounding the special district are zoned M-2 for light manufacturing, while heavy manufacturing is permitted in the M3- zone located three blocks to the west. Further south and east, R6 residential zoning is prevalent. In recent years, residential and commercial development have been accelerating, displacing sites that had been traditionally occupied by industry. Proposals are currently pending Board of Standards and Appeals approval for the development of medium-density housing on the west end of North 7 th Street, as well as on the South Side of Williamsburg. 2.6 ORGANIZATIONS AND ON-GOING PROJECTS The most active community-based organizations on the North Side of Williamsburg are the Northside Community Development Council and Neighbors Against Garbage. Two merchants associations exist in the area. The well established Northside Merchants Association has sponsored amenities such as the distinctive sidewalk on Bedford Avenue. The owners of some of the newer businesses recently formed another coalition which has been active in implementing improvements, such as a program that employs the homeless to maintain the garbage cans and dumpsters along Bedford Avenue. The Williamsburg Waterfront 97-a Plan, sponsored by Brooklyn Community Board One, is currently under review by the Department of City Planning, and calls for a waterfront park and promenade accessible through a network of pedestrian and view corridors. 6

7 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT 3. PRIMARY STUDY AREA The primary study area includes the intersections of Bedford Avenue and North 7 th Street and Driggs Avenue and North 7 th Street. In 998, the Bedford Avenue subway station had 2,866,659 turnstile registrations, making it the 5 th most used station in Brooklyn (out of 6) and the 4 th most used station citywide. During the periods between and , the station had the third highest increase in ridership in Brooklyn, a trend that is expected to have continued over the past few years, due to the recent influx of residents to the neighborhood. As it stands now, this station has been selected as an American Disabilities Act (ADA) key station by the NYC Transit Authority and funding is slated for award between the years 25 and 29. 7

8 EXISTING CONDITIONS 3. STATION ENTRANCES Two entrances are located approximately 23 feet east of the lot line on Bedford Avenue, one on each side of North 7 th Street. Although the majority of passengers exiting these entrances turn around and walk west, back to Bedford Avenue, these entrances both face east. Each entrance is seven feet by 5 feet, leaving a six foot wide pedestrian passage space. These entrances are open 24 hours daily. Dumpsters and pay phones are located at the rear of both of these station entrances. The remaining two entrances are located on the northeast and southeast corners of North 7 th Street at Driggs Avenue. These entrances are of the same dimensions as the Bedford Avenue entrances, set one foot east of the Driggs Avenue lot line, and face east. They are open from 5:5 AM to :3 PM on weekdays, and provide exit and MetroCard entry only. At the first landing below street level, the stairwells are twice as wide as they are at the top, creating a blind corner within the entryway. No overhead lighting exists in the stairwell. A platform exists at the top of all four stairwells, creating an extra step down to the sidewalk. A quantity of unused space exists in the enclosed area inside the turnstiles at the Bedford Avenue end of the station. To either side of the passageway between the turnstiles and stairs, spaces of approximately 3 by 7 feet and 5 by 7 feet are occupied only by a storage locker and trash can. South Bedford Avenue Entrance 8

9 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT 3.2 STREETS ADJACENT TO SUBWAY ENTRANCES 3.2. Roadways North 7 th Street is a 3-foot wide street running one way eastbound between the East River and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. No lane demarcations exist on North 7 th Street; parking conditions yield one or two effective travel lanes along the street. Parking is restricted along alternate sides of the street on all weekday mornings except Wednesdays. Near the St. Vincent de Paul s school, no parking is allowed between 7 AM and 4 PM on school days. North 7 th, North 8 th and North 9 th Streets have been scheduled for general resurfacing and repaving. Bedford Avenue is a 3-foot wide street that runs one-way northbound through the station area. Located along the northernmost section of the longest street in Brooklyn, this section of Bedford Avenue has no lane demarcations within the streetbed. Parking and loading near the signalized intersection with North 7 th Street tends to yield only one effective travel lane during daytime hours. Alternative side of the street parking regulations remain in effect on weekdays. Neighboring intersections with North 6 th and North 7 th Streets are not signalized, although stop signs exist along the intersecting streets. Subsequent to the completion of field work at this study area, the Department of Transportation installed parking meters on Bedford Avenue. Driggs Avenue is a 3-foot wide street running one-way southbound. Although the streetbed has no lane demarcations, two effective travel lanes generally exist during daytime hours. Alternate side of the street parking regulations remain in effect on weekdays. The New York City Bicycle Master Plan recommends Driggs Avenue and Berry Street, located to its west, as bicycle routes. This street is also designated as a snow route Sidewalks The sidewalks on North 7 th Street, Bedford Avenue, and Driggs Avenues are all 5 feet wide. A distinctive paving treatment exists along Bedford Avenue and extends approximately 5 feet onto North 7 th Street. In this treatment, approximately five and a half feet at the center of the sidewalk is paved in granite, as are the pedestrian ramps, and a small section of the amenity strip. The remainder of the sidewalk, including the portions of the corners that are more than four feet from the streetbed, is standard concrete. On the block of Bedford Avenue between North 6 th and North 7 th Sidewalk adjacent to Bedford Avenue Entrance Streets, a number of dumpsters are located in the amenity strip, the majority of which are located next to street trees, and are surrounded by trash bags. These dumpsters create a physical and visual obstruction along the sidewalk and reduce the available pedestrian travel width to approximately seven feet. This width is further reduced when the vault doors adjacent to the storefronts are open for loading. 9

10 EXISTING CONDITIONS Crosswalks Most of the crossings at the intersections of North 7 th Street with Bedford and Driggs Avenues have standard 3 foot wide crosswalks. However, the east crosswalk at Driggs Avenue is 5 feet wide, while the east crosswalk at Bedford Avenue is only feet wide. Catch basins are located between crosswalks at the northwest and southwest corners of this intersection; there is no pedestrian ramp on the northwest or southeast corners of Driggs Avenue and North 7 th Street. Crosswalks at Driggs Avenue Lighting Brooklyn Bridge type luminaries exist on the sidewalks adjacent to the subway entrances. The remaining luminaries are standard Cobra Head affixed to fabricated steel lampposts. 3.3 TRAFFIC 3.3. Automobile Vehicular traffic along North 7 th Street was observed to be light light. Traffic along Bedford Avenue and Berry Street, one block to the west, was observed to be light, but also includes some truck traffic. Traffic passes quickly through the unsignalized intersections at North 6 th and North 8 th Streets, except in areas where cars are double parked. In the vicinity of the Bedford Avenue subway station, the highest number of motor vehicle accidents in 996 to 998 occurred at the intersection of North 7 th Street and Bedford Avenue. During this time, there were twice as many accidents at this intersection than at the adjacent intersections of North 7 th Street and Berry Street or North 7 th Street and Driggs Avenue. There were relatively few occurrences of vehicular accidents in the midblock areas. # # 4 N 6 ST BERRY ST 9 N 8 ST Total accidents that occurred at an intersection ( ) 3 BEDFORD AV 4 DRIGGS AV N 7 ST Total accidents that occurred mid-block ( ) Bus The B6 bus runs northbound on Bedford Avenue, and has a stop approximately 5 feet north of North 7 th Street. The B6 bus runs southbound on Driggs Avenue, with a stop south of North 7 th Street. Some sidewalk congestion was observed at the Bedford Avenue B6 stop, which is situated next to a grocery store s outdoor fruit stand.

11 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT Pedestrian There is a significant amount of pedestrian activity around the Bedford Avenue station, particularly near the Bedford Avenue entrances. The low volume of vehicular traffic and the narrow street, contribute to a low occurrence of pedestrian and vehicular conflicts along Bedford Avenue. The Bedford Avenue station shows a continued need for additional bicycle parking. Bicycles appear to provide an important mode of access to this station, presumably from Greenpoint and other areas of Brooklyn which are near enough to bike but too far to walk. Newly installed bicycle racks have helped the situation somewhat, but an overflow of bicycles was nevertheless observed locked to almost every available vertical fixture: bollards, street signs, trees, tree guards, parking meters, and railings. The main areas of congestion exist on the sidewalks directly surrounding the Bedford Avenue entrances to the subway. The subway entrance on the southeast corner of Bedford Avenue and North 7 th Street reduces the width of the pedestrian passage space to eight feet. Bicycles chained to the side of the subway entrance and to a nearby lamppost further reduce this space to approximately six and a half feet. Similar obstacles exist on the northeast corner of Bedford Avenue and North 7 th Street, narrowing this pedestrian passage space to five feet. The bicycles locked to these items further narrow the space at this bottleneck to only three feet. This condition is exacerbated by the fact that the majority of people exiting the Bedford Avenue entrances need to turn around in this limited radius, in order to walk west, back to Bedford Avenue. # # N 6 ST BERRY ST Bicycles chained to station entrance N 8 ST BEDFORD AV Pedestrian accidents that occurred at an intersection ( ) DRIGGS AV N 7 ST Pedestrian accidents that occurred mid-block ( ) From 996 to 998, two pedestrian accidents occurred in the vicinity of the Bedford Avenue subway station, one each at the intersections of North 7 th Street and Bedford Avenue, and North 7 th Street and Driggs Avenue. No pedestrian accidents were recorded at the midblock areas during this time.

12 EXISTING CONDITIONS 2

13 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT APPENDICES APPENDIX : 99 CENSUS DATA Population Data by Age and Census Tract APPENDIX 2: 99 CENSUS DATA Journey to Work - Workers by place of residence Reverse Journey to Work - Workers by place of employment APPENDIX 3: ACCIDENT DATA Accidents by Node/s APPENDIX 4: SIGNAL TIMING DATA APPENDIX 5: INVENTORY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS 3

14 EXISTING CONDITIONS APPENDIX : 99 CENSUS DATA Population data by age Tract Total -5 yrs 6- yrs 2-6 yrs 7-2 yrs yrs yrs 7-74 yrs yrs 8-84 yrs 85+ yrs People Percent % 6.4% 5.8% 4.8% 3.7% 65.% 3.8% 4.9% 3.2%.5%.9% Bedford Ave Source: US Bureau of Census, 99, STF 3 4

15 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT APPENDIX 2: 99 CENSUS DATA Journey to Work - Workers by place of residence Census Tract Total Percent Car, Truck, or Van % Carpool % Bus or Trolley % Streetcar, Trolley.% Subway or Elevated % Railroad % Ferry.% Taxi.2% Motorcycle.% Bike 2 2.5% Walk % Other 2 2.% Work at Home % Reverse Journey to Work - Workers by place of employment Census Tract Total Percent Car, Truck, or Van % Carpool % Bus or Trolley % Streetcar, Trolley 5 5.% Subway or Elevated % Railroad % Ferry 9 9.% Taxi % Motorcycle.% Bike 8 8.% Walk % Other % Work at Home % Source: US Bureau of Census, 99, STF 3 5

16 EXISTING CONDITIONS APPENDIX 3: Accident Data Accidents by node/s Node/s Year yr total yr total yr total yr total yr total Accidents Reportable 2 2 Fatalities Injuries Pedestrians 6

17 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT Intersection BEDFORD AVE AND N 7TH ST BEDFORD AVE AND N 7TH ST BEDFORD AVE AND N 7TH ST BEDFORD AVE AND N 7TH ST DRIGGS AVE AND N 7TH ST DRIGGS AVE AND N 7TH ST DRIGGS AVE AND N 7TH ST DRIGGS AVE AND N 7TH ST BERRY ST AND N 7TH ST BERRY ST AND N 7TH ST BERRY ST AND N 7TH ST BERRY ST AND N 7TH ST N 7TH ST BETWEEN BERRY ST AND BEDFORD AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BERRY ST AND BEDFORD AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BERRY ST AND BEDFORD AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BERRY ST AND BEDFORD AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BEDFORD AVE AND DRIGGS AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BEDFORD AVE AND DRIGGS AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BEDFORD AVE AND DRIGGS AVE N 7TH ST BETWEEN BEDFORD AVE AND DRIGGS AVE Source: New York State DOT Local Accident Surveillance Project 7

18 EXISTING CONDITIONS APPENDIX 4: SIGNAL TIMING DATA Bedford Avenue and North 7th Street INTERSECTION INDICATOR CROSSWALK ORIENTATION TRAFFIC FLOW TIME A Crossing North 7 St along west side of Bedford Avenue Bedford Av. 24 Hour Operation B Crossing North 7 St along east side of Bedford Avenue Bedford Av. 24 Hour Operation C Crossing Bedford Avenue along south side of North 7 St North 7 St. 24 Hour Operation D Crossing Bedford Avenue along north side of North 7 St North 7 St. 24 Hour Operation Driggs Avenue and North 7th Street INTERSECTION INDICATOR CROSSWALK ORIENTATION TRAFFIC FLOW TIME E Crossing North 7 St along west side of Driggs Avenue Driggs Av. 24 Hour Operation F Crossing North 7 St along east side of Driggs Avenue Driggs Av. 24 Hour Operation G Crossing Driggs Avenue along south side of North 7 St North 7 St. 24 Hour Operation H Crossing Driggs Avenue along north side of North 7 St North 7 St. 24 Hour Operation Intersection Map: Bedford Avenue BERRY ST BEDFORD AV A C D B N 7 ST N 8 ST E H DRIGGS AV N 6 ST G F N 5 ST OEBLIN 8

19 SUBWAY-SIDEWALK INTERFACE PROJECT Bedford Avenue and North 7th Street GREEN AMBER RED CYCLE TIME Crosswalk Length Crosswalk Width Total Pedestrian Crossing Time (Green and Amber) Adjusted Pedestrian Crossing Time (Green Only) Estimated Time Required to Cross Street* Preliminary Estimation of Sufficient Crossing Time feet feet Sufficient Sufficient Sufficient Sufficient Driggs Avenue and North 7th Street GREEN AMBER RED CYCLE TIME Crosswalk Length Crosswalk Width Total Pedestrian Crossing Time (Green and Amber) Adjusted Pedestrian Crossing Time (Green Only) Estimated Time Required to Cross Street* Preliminary Estimation of Sufficient Crossing Time feet feet Sufficient Sufficient Sufficient Sufficient Source: NYC DOT 9

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