Executive Summary. Riverdale, Bronx NYC Smart Growth Plan. I. Introduction

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1 I. Introduction Executive Summary This Existing Conditions Report is the first of two reports that VHB will produce as part of the Riverdale, Bronx NYC Smart Growth Plan ( Smart Growth Plan ). In early 2015, the North Riverdale Merchant and Business Association secured a $100,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority through its Cleaner Greener Communities program. The Association is cooperating with Riverdale Neighborhood House, elected officials, the New York City Department of Transportation and other community stakeholders to produce the Smart Growth Plan, which will address traffic and pedestrian safety, economic development and environmental sustainability in portions of Riverdale s business districts. This Existing Conditions Report documents conditions, issues and problems that the Smart Growth Plan will attempt to resolve. The entire project will be documented for public review and participation at during 2015 and This Existing Conditions Report identifies a number of serious problems in the studied downtown business districts. They include: Correctable traffic accidents, sometimes involving pedestrian injuries. Speeding Deteriorating crosswalks, street painting, parking and bus zones and the need for better conditions for persons with disabilities. Potentially unsafe access on Palisade Avenue and West 254 th Street to the Metro-North Railroad station. Lack of crossings from residential areas to Van Cortlandt Park. Deteriorating tree pits and street trees. Lack of plantings, signage and visual amenities in key business areas. Underutilized or empty storefronts and commercial sites. These conditions in the business districts have persisted despite the community s acclaimed nonprofit and educational institutions, high population density, parks, and sought after residential neighborhoods (including North Riverdale, Fieldston and Skyview). The Smart Growth Plan will try to address this disconnect as streetscape projects in other communities (in both the City and its suburbs) have done in the past decade, using the community s many assets as the basis to support a revitalization of the business districts and creation of a true downtown for the community. Home to almost 30,000 people, the Project Area includes portions of three corridors in the Riverdale neighborhood in the Bronx Borough of the City of New York: Riverdale Avenue (from 254 th Street north), Mosholu Avenue, and Broadway (from 242 nd Street north). This Smart Growth Plan first assesses the existing conditions within the corridors relating to traffic, transportation, as well as existing and planned development. The Project Area s public realm is also analyzed, evaluating streetscape elements, sidewalks, and overall mobility. After the completion of the assessment of existing conditions, corridor needs and opportunities will be developed, and a plan will be developed for public review and input to direct future improvements along the corridors so that they will best fulfill their intended purposes. 1

2 II. History Initial, significant development of the Riverdale neighborhood began with the arrival of the railroad in 1850, prior to which Riverdale was connected to the City by Broadway, then a carriage road. Riverdale gradually became a picturesque suburb of New York City with its large villa estates. Transportation developments also began to take place during this period, incorporating improved roads, steamboats, ferries, and railroads with a new station built in 1889 with access to Grand Central Terminal. This was crucial in Riverdale s transition from a country destination to a year-round community. Riverdale continued to develop during the 20th Century. In 1909, the IRT Broadway Seventh Avenue Line was extended to Van Cortlandt Park 242nd Street. Upscale apartment buildings began to be built along with the establishment of numerous churches, synagogues, private schools, and cultural and higher education institutions. The Russian Mission to the United Nations was also constructed in In recent years Riverdale has continued to maintain its character as an affluent enclave in the City of New York, although, other than small-scale development, there has been limited investment in the upkeep of infrastructure and property along the subject corridors in the Project Area. III. Summary of Existing Conditions This assessment of existing conditions on Riverdale Avenue, Mosholu Avenue and Broadway for each of the key elements noted above is summarized below. Community Character and Zoning The existing land use patterns within the Project Area are mostly long-established, low-rise single-family and mid-rise multifamily residences. Neighborhood commercial land uses are present along the three corridors which include some mixed-use buildings. Most are independently owned and operated, although there are some national chains such as the Sunoco gas station, Capital One Bank and Burger King. There is also a prominent retail development on Riverdale Avenue known as the Skyview Shopping Center. Numerous educational and religious institutions are situated throughout the Project Area. An inspection of properties along the corridors revealed that some were in need of significant maintenance and that there were a number of commercial vacancies. It was also noted that, in certain areas, the strength of commercial development was diminished by its somewhat fragmented development pattern, with the connection between some commercial properties being weakened by the presence of high stone walls (along Mosholu Avenue) or residential development. There is potential for reinvestment and development within the Project Area, especially along the Riverdale Avenue and Broadway corridors where eight privately-owned sites were identified for potential redevelopment. These sites were considered underutilized based on their physical characteristics. Most of these underutilized sites are under-built based on the Floor Area Ratio ( FAR ) allowed in its current zoning district. Redevelopment of these sites would complement current infill development projects under construction, including various multifamily residential buildings along Broadway, among others. Abandoned gas station at 6161 Broadway 2

3 Overall, the FARs for the commercial overlay zoning districts are either 1.0 to 2.0. Riverdale Avenue is in a C1-2 overlay district, which has an FAR of 1.0. The majority of Mosholu Avenue is in a C2-2, which has an FAR of 2.0. Broadway contains three commercial overlay districts (C1-2, C2-2, and C2-3) which allow FARs of 1.0, 2.0, and 2.0 respectively. The C1-2 district maximum FAR is somewhat low (compared to the others) due to the lower density of the underlying residential zoning and, if increased, could contribute to enhancing the economic vitality of Riverdale Avenue and portions of Broadway through the creation of more employment opportunities and walkable storefront amenities for the various populations of the Project Area. In addition, major assets such as Van Cortlandt Park, Hebrew Home, Manhattan College and the College of Mount St. Vincent should be used as community anchors around which to stimulate revitalization. Previous Studies The 2011 NYC Regional Economic Development Council Strategic Plan does not specifically mention any of the corridors in the Project Area. However, numerous goals and objectives of the Plan such as improving quality of life, creating a pro-growth and pro-jobs environment, investing in the future, and fostering innovation and inter-regional cooperation can be applied to the Project Area. The Project Area adjoins the portion of Van Cortlandt Park designated as the Northwest Forest. The Van Cortlandt Park Master Plan 2034 (2014) notes that the Park edge lacks character and development and that there are no Park entrance/official gateway or playgrounds in the area. Goals that have been determined for this area include: Decreasing the impact of the Henry Hudson Parkway ramps, improving signage for rules and orientation; Creating opportunities for recreation needed by the adjacent community; Creating Park entrances and connectivity on Broadway; and Improving perimeter character and condition, to make the Park more inviting and safe. Three key areas of opportunity identified in the plan are: (1) At West 242nd Street and Broadway (the Park's main entrance at the No. 1 Subway), new investments in the park can provide an economic boom for commercial properties across the street (such as the Burger King site). (2) The portions of the Park across from Mosholu Avenue are poised to become a major recreational draw with a new playground, renovated equestrian center and access to the Park's main northern trails. As such, pedestrian crossings across Broadway from Mosholu Avenue need to be vastly improved. (3) At a much smaller scale, the Park's northern corner near Yonkers is identified as a space for improving access to Yonkers where renovation of this highly neglected corner of the Park should be paired with safer crossings from West 261st Street and with revitalization of the small commercial strip of Broadway from West 261st Street to the City Line. CD : A River to Reservoir Preservation Strategy, A 197-a Community Plan for the Bronx Community District 8, provided a community-wide comprehensive plan for the District 8, which includes the Project Area. Several items discussed in the plan, including overall goals and recommendations for zoning, parks and recreation, economic development, and transportation, can be applied within the Project Area. The Plan calls for preserving the scale and character of the area neighborhoods, improving the 3

4 appearance and economic vitality of local commercial districts, fostering economic opportunities and improving access for all segments of the population to cultural and educational facilities, creating additional recreational resources, enhancing existing parks, and promoting the greening of major corridors. Applicable Plan recommendations also include: Creating greenway linkages between Van Cortlandt Park and other greenway routes; Improving the appearance of the Merchant Association commercial areas; and Making improvements to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility. The Hudson River Greenway Plan for the waterside of the Metro-North Railroad tracks also presents opportunities to bring more visitors and shoppers into the downtown, particularly Riverdale Avenue. Improving pedestrian and bike safety/connectivity from the Hudson River to Riverdale Avenue (at West 254 th Street and West 261 st Street) is an essential component. Roadway and Intersection Conditions Inventories were taken of each corridor to identify key elements such as cross-section geometry, pedestrian accommodations, pavement and sidewalk conditions, parking regulations, traffic controls and locations of bus stops. A summary of the findings of the field inventories is provided below. Riverdale Avenue provides two through lanes in each direction with a curbside parking lane along both sides of the roadway in most areas. At West 261 st Street, it is traveled by approximately 8,500 vehicles per day. Intersection peak-hour analyses of exiting traffic volumes indicate that that average vehicle delays are on the order of 20 seconds or less, except at the Mosholu Avenue intersection, where a poor allocation of green time impacts traffic on 254 th Street. With the current 4-lane cross-section along the corridor, the analyses indicate that, if signal timings were optimized, there would be more than adequate capacity to accommodate peak-hour traffic volumes at all key intersections. Speed surveys indicated that slightly less than half of motorists using the corridor comply with the posted 25 mph speed limit, while 15 percent of motorists drive in excess of 33 mph. Bus stops are located on the north and south legs at most intersections, however bus shelters are not provided at each bus stop. Bus pullover areas are marked by concrete pads, many of which are in extremely poor condition. The pavement along Riverdale Avenue is in generally fair to poor condition and the pavement markings are all badly faded (almost invisible at night). Pedestrian crosswalks are also, for the most part, badly faded and many pedestrian ramps are in poor condition, in the wrong location and/or are missing tactile pads (and are therefore not compliant with the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act - ADA). 4

5 Typical Bus Stop Pavement along Riverdale Avenue A review of five years of accident records (2009 to 2013) along the Riverdale Avenue corridor indicated that 118 crashes occurred - including one pedestrian fatality - and that there is an opportunity to increase user safety through the upgrade of existing facilities and the implementation of improvements. Overall, it is apparent that the transportation infrastructure along the Riverdale Avenue corridor has not seen a lot of investment in its upkeep in recent years and is, therefore, beginning to show its age. Mosholu Avenue provides one through lane in each direction with a curbside parking area along both sides of the roadway in most areas. At Liebig Avenue, it is traveled by approximately 4,000 vehicles per day. Based on observations of existing peak-hour conditions, it is concluded that there is more than adequate capacity to accommodate peak-hour traffic volumes at all key intersections. Average vehicle delays are estimated to be on the order of 20 seconds or less. Due to the horizontal alignment of Mosholu Avenue, there is limited sight distance when looking left from the northbound Post Road approach to Mosholu Avenue. One bus stop is located at the Fieldston Road intersection, however a bus shelter is not provided. The pavement along Mosholu Avenue is in generally fair condition and the pavement markings are either missing or badly faded. The only crosswalks on the Mosholu Avenue approaches occur at the two signalized intersections (West 256 th Street and Fieldston Road intersections). Pedestrian ramps are provided at these crosswalks, however most ramps do not provide tactile warning pads and are therefore not ADA compliant. Some of the cross streets are very wide and take a long time to cross. A review of five years of accident records along the Mosholu Avenue corridor indicates a total of 27 crashes occurred with no fatalities. Like Riverdale Avenue, it is apparent that the Mosholu Avenue corridor has not seen a lot of investment in its upkeep in recent years and is, therefore, beginning to deteriorate. Broadway provides two through lanes in each direction with a curbside parking lane along both sides of the roadway in most areas. At 252 nd Street, it is traveled by approximately 14,000 vehicles per day. Intersection analyses of existing traffic volumes indicate that that average vehicle delays are on the order of 15 seconds or less, except at the Mosholu Avenue intersection, where a poor allocation of green time impacts traffic on Broadway. With a 4-lane cross-section along the corridor and if signal timing were optimized, the analyses indicate that there would be more than adequate capacity to accommodate peak-hour traffic volumes at all key intersections. Speed surveys indicated that half of motorists using the corridor exceed the posted 25 mph speed limit by 10 mph, while 15 percent drive in excess of 44 mph. 5

6 To the south of Manhattan College Parkway in the vicinity of the West 242 nd Street elevated subway station, Broadway provides five southbound lanes and two northbound lanes. Bus stops are provided at most intersections, however bus shelters are only provided at one location. The pavement along Broadway is in generally good condition and the pavement centerline markings are also in good condition. Pedestrian crosswalks on Broadway are generally located approximately every feet, however, south of the Henry Hudson Parkway, the distance between crosswalks can vary from 1,000 feet to almost 2,000 feet. The crosswalk striping is badly faded and most pedestrian ramps are not ADA compliant. A review of five years of accident records along Broadway between the Henry Hudson Parkway ramps and the City line indicates that 68 crashes occurred, including three fatalities (two of which were pedestrian fatalities). The third fatality appears to have been speed-related in a multi-vehicle accident. There is an opportunity to increase user safety through the upgrade of existing facilities and the implementation of improvements. Like the other corridors, it is apparent that infrastructure along the Broadway corridor is in need of some investment. Connectivity and Accessibility Field inventories conducted for this study also evaluated connectivity and accessibility to some of the key attractions in the area. Key areas of concern include pedestrian access to: (1) Van Cortlandt Park; (2) the nearby No. 1 subway and Metro-North stations; and (3) important nonprofit and educational institutions in or near the business district. Connectivity is a vital issue as the community hosts a number of important schools, 1 nursing homes and public open spaces. 2 Metro-North Railroad s Riverdale train station is located at the western terminus of West 254 th Street. The station provides two elevators to allow patrons with disabilities to access the train platforms. Pedestrians travelling between Riverdale Avenue and the station along West 254 th Street must walk in the roadway as sidewalks are generally missing. The lack of sidewalks combined with a steep elevation change makes this path to the station potentially unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists, and difficult or impossible to traverse for those with disabilities. For pedestrians using Palisade Avenue to access the train station, there are similar concerns for pedestrian and cyclist safety related to the lack of sidewalks and steep terrain. Although challenging, opportunities may exist to improve pedestrian connections to the station. West 254th Street toward Riverdale station, missing sidewalks 1 College of Mount Saint Vincent, SAR Academy s upper and lower schools, Saint Margaret of Cortona School, P.S Van Cortlandt Park, Wave Hill, Riverdale Park and the Hudson River. 6

7 At the elevated Van Cortlandt Park West 242 nd Street subway station located on Broadway, access to the elevated platform is by staircase only. Pedestrian crosswalks are provided at the intersections immediately to the north and south of the station. Formal access to Van Cortlandt Park (a sidewalk/path which connects into the Park), which runs along the east side of Broadway throughout the study area, is provided at 242 nd Street, Manhattan College Parkway (though it does not appear to be ADA accessible), in the vicinity of W 246 th Street/opposite 6035 Broadway (although the nearest crosswalks across Broadway are 550 feet to the south and 1,400 feet to the north), opposite Gleason s Sports Bar and Grill (though it does not appear to be ADA accessible and the nearest crosswalks across Broadway are 1,200 feet to the south and 600 feet to the north), W 251 st Street, W 252 nd Street, Mosholu Avenue (where no sidewalks are provided) and W 259 th Street. From W 251 st Street to W 252 nd Street, there is a railing between the sidewalk and the Park. While there are some openings in the railing through which more able-bodied persons could enter, there are no sidewalks connecting to the Park s internal circulation. There are opportunities for additional crossings across Broadway to further connection and access to Van Cortlandt Park. Specifically, the intersections of Broadway and West 252 nd Street, Broadway and West 256 th Street, and Broadway and David Sheridan Plaza, as well as between Manhattan College Parkway and West 251 st Street, are missing crosswalks across Broadway. In addition, some of the existing access points appear to need upgrading to comply with ADA requirements. Parking Riverdale Avenue Weekday parking surveys revealed that the Riverdale Avenue corridor has a total of 214 legal parking spaces in the Project Area (from 254 th Street north), of which 163 or 76 percent were observed to be occupied. The heaviest parking utilization along Riverdale Avenue occurs to the north of West 260 th Street, and by the Sky View Plaza Shopping Center, with between 82 and 100 percent of the parking spaces utilized. Mosholu Avenue - The Mosholu Avenue corridor has a total of 205 legal parking spaces of which 170 or 83 percent were observed to be occupied during the weekday surveys. The heaviest parking utilization along Mosholu Avenue occurs between West 255 th Street and Liebig Avenue (average of 90 percent utilization) and between Huxley Avenue and Broadway (92 percent utilization). Broadway - The Broadway corridor has a total of 451 legal parking spaces in the Project Area (from 242 nd Street north), of which 368 or 82 percent were observed to be occupied. The heaviest parking utilization along Broadway occurs between Manhattan College Parkway and the Henry Hudson Parkway Northbound On/Off-Ramps (average of 94 percent utilization). Based on a review of the parking utilization numbers, it is apparent that overall parking demand is somewhat greater on Broadway and Mosholu Avenue, where the average approaches within 17 to 18 percent of capacity, than on Riverdale Avenue, where the average parking demand was observed to approach within 25 percent of capacity, although there were sections of Riverdale Avenue where demand was higher. Transit Transit services offered in Riverdale include the Metro-North Railroad, subway, and buses, operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Westchester County. 7

8 The Riverdale Metro-North train station, located to the west of Riverdale Avenue, at West 254 th Street, is served by the Hudson Line, which provides connections between Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan and Poughkeepsie. Trains run approximately twice an hour in the peak direction in the peak period and once an hour at other times. There is a bus-link service which connects the train station with all three of the Project Area corridors, although there is no continuous sidewalk connection to the train station. The Van Cortlandt Park-242 nd Street subway station is located on Broadway at West 242 nd Street. Service is operated by the MTA and the # 1 line runs through the west side of the Bronx and Manhattan to the South Ferry station. Trains run every 3-6 minutes in both directions during weekday a.m. and p.m. peak service periods. Bus service is operated by the MTA (including the Hudson Rail Link and Access-A-Ride buses) with additional service provided by Westchester County which operates the Bee-Line (B-L) bus service. MTA buses including Access-A-Ride, Bx7, Bx10, BxM1, BxM2, and BxM18 run along Riverdale from West 263 rd Street in the north to West 239 th Street in the south, where some diverge to the Henry Hudson Parkway and others continue on Riverdale Avenue. B-L1, B-L2, B-L3, Bx9, and BxM3 buses run along Broadway between the Bronx/Westchester county lines in the north to the Van Cortlandt Park-242 nd Street subway station in the south. The Hudson Rail Link runs along Riverdale Avenue, Broadway, and Mosholu Avenue, with service to the Riverdale Metro-North station. It is noted that there is no dedicated turnaround facility at the City line on Riverdale Avenue or Broadway requiring bus drivers from both the MTA and the Bee-Line services to execute U-turns in the middle of the street, interfering with other corridor users. It is also noted that at a couple of the busier bus stops, the stops need to have the bus stop zone extended to accommodate a second bus. Streetscape All three corridors have streetscape elements but they vary widely along each corridor in materials, condition, quality, and aesthetic appearance. Riverdale Avenue - While most sidewalks on Riverdale Avenue were in at least fair condition, significant deterioration was documented at a number of key locations. Deteriorating curbing was also observed at certain locations along the corridor. While there are many bus stops along the corridor, there are only four 8

9 bus shelters, all located on the western side of Riverdale Avenue. The bus shelters are relatively new and offer seating and post schedules for patrons waiting for the bus. Bus Stop Sign and Shelter with Bench Although present, there are gaps in the pedestrian warning signage at locations along the corridor. Various public service amenities (such as trash receptacles, call boxes and poles) are provided throughout the corridor, although some are located in the middle of the pedestrian s path. Waste receptacles are provided at many of the side street intersections with Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale Avenue (and Mosholu Avenue also) lack a uniform series of street lights like many downtown business districts have. From a traffic safety perspective, intersections had adequate street lighting present along Riverdale Avenue, although an evening visit in August suggested that they may not always come on in a timely manner. 9

10 Riverdale Avenue between West 256th Street and Sky View Shopping Center Driveway, Street Light; Riverdale Avenue at Sky View Shopping Center Driveway, Typical Street Lights The condition of the trees planted in tree pits along the Riverdale Avenue corridor varied. Many tree pits were small, poorly maintained and trash-ridden. Others were in better condition. Many trees were observed to be in a poor state of health. Trees on Mosholu Avenue and Broadway were generally in better condition. Dead or dying trees on Riverdale Avenue Benches were found at the locations where bus shelters were present and at the intersection with West 259 th Street, where bicycle storage racks were also observed. Bicycle facilities were conspicuous by their absence. 10

11 Mosholu Avenue - Although most Mosholu Avenue sidewalks tend to be in good shape, poor sidewalk conditions were observed from the intersection of West 254 th Street to West 255 th Street on the east side of the street. In this section of the corridor, cars park on the sloped shoulder, it was noted that curbs are deteriorating and that there is no buffer between cars and the narrow sidewalk. Deteriorating curbs were also observed at other locations along the corridor. Mosholu Avenue between West 254th Street and West 255th Street, East Side As with Riverdale Avenue, there are locations where utility poles and other amenities are in the pedestrian s path. Mosholu Avenue at West 256th Street, Utilities Blocking Crossing The only bicycle storage rack observed was at the intersection with Fieldston Road. Among the intersections within the Mosholu Avenue corridor, only two were noted to not have adequate street lighting (two lamp posts). These intersections were Mosholu Avenue at West 255 th Street and Mosholu Avenue at West 256 th Street, where there was only one light post present. 11

12 Pedestrian signage within the Mosholu Avenue corridor was only noted at the intersection with West 255 th Street eastbound and the intersection with Liebig Avenue northbound. Thus, only two of the thirty intersection legs within the corridor had pedestrian signage present. Broadway - Although most Broadway sidewalks tend to be in at least fair condition, sidewalks at the northern end of the corridor were poor on the east side and up to the intersection with David Sheridan Plaza. Poor conditions were also noted within the area of the Plaza and at the east side of the interchange with the Henry Hudson Parkway. Within the southern portion of the Broadway corridor, sidewalks in poor condition were only noted between West 251 st Street and West 252 nd Street and between Manhattan College Parkway and West 242 nd Street. Deteriorating, uneven curbs were also observed at some locations along Broadway. There are numerous benches for seating along Broadway on the Van Cortlandt Park side of the street. Also on this side of the corridor, mature trees are present along the edge of the park and also on the street between the sidewalk and the roadway on both sides of Broadway. Broadway between West 259th Street and West 260th Street At some intersections in the corridor, public service utilities, including fire hydrants and gas utilities, are located in the middle of the pedestrian ramps, blocking the pedestrian s path while crossing. Broadway at HHP On-Ramp, Overgrown Sidewalk, No Buffer, Utility Pole Blocks Sidewalk Broadway at David Sheridan Plaza, Misplaced Utility 12

13 Three bus shelters were noted northeast of the intersection of West 261 st Street, southeast of the intersection with West 260 th Street, and southeast of the intersection with Mosholu Avenue. Pedestrian signage within the Broadway corridor was only present at the intersection with West 254 th Street, at the westbound intersection leg towards West 254 th Street. 13