Vanderbilt AvenueLandscaped Medians and Bicycle Lanes

NYC Department of TransportationOffice of Alternate Modes

April 2008Presentation to Brooklyn Community Board 8

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• Bicycle Fatality & Serious Injury Study – Improve Safety

• Mayor’s PlaNYC – A Greener Transportation Network

• 1997 Bicycle Master Plan

• Stakeholder Requests to Improve Corridor

• Improving Pedestrian Connections & Safety

Why are we here?

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Bicycle Network Development• 200 Mile, 3 Year Bicycle Route Commitment• Targeting Areas of High Demand & Key Connections

Traffic Calming & Corridor Greening Initiatives• Target corridors with safety and/or quality of life concerns• Leverage bike network expansion to improve streets for all users• Apply varied city resources to significantly improve key streets

– Street repaving– Signs & markings– Small island construction– Parks Department’s Greenstreets program

NYC DOT Bicycle & Traffic Calming Projects

Carlton Ave: New median, landscaping and bike lanes on repaved street

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Successful 2006 Traffic CalmingBefore Traffic

CalmingAfter Traffic

CalmingPercent traveling above speed limit (30 MPH) 76% 27%

85th Percentile 40 MPH 33 MPH

• Dramatic decrease in speeding• More than 25% are still speeding

• Additional traffic calming justified

Existing Vanderbilt Avenue traffic calming design

• Adequate Traffic Operations Maintained• No Traffic Diversions

Southbound Volume Comparison:Before-After Traffic Calming

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

5-6a

6-7a

7-8a

8-9a

9-10

a

10-1

1a

11-1

2a

12-1

p

1-2p

2-3p

3-4p

4-5p

5-6p

6-7p

7-8p

8-9p

9-10

p

10-1

1p

11-1

2p

Tim e Period

Vehi

cle

Volu

me

2005 Southbound

2007 Southbound

Northbound Volume Comparions:Before-After Traffic Calming

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

5-6a

6-7a

7-8a

8-9a

9-10

a

10-1

1a

11-1

2a

12-1

p

1-2p

2-3p

3-4p

4-5p

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p

10-1

1p

11-1

2p

Tim e Period

Vehi

cle

Volu

me

2005 Northbound

2007 Northbound

Successful 2006 Traffic Calming

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Project Intentions

9th St, Brooklyn: 2-way street with Bicycle Lane, a Moving Lane and Turning Lanes

1. Creating Dedicated Cycling Space2. Improving Pedestrian Comfort & Safety3. Further Calm Traffic for All Street Users4. Improve Streetscape

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Key Bicycle Network Connection

Linkage with Cross-Brooklyn Dean-Bergen Bike Lane Pair

Linkage to Prospect Park

Vand

erbi

lt Av

e

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Vanderbilt Ave Attracts Cyclists

Vanderbilt Avenue is frequented by Brooklynites biking to Prospect Park or for local errands

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Cyclists Attracted by Safer, Calmer Vanderbilt

Single lane configuration implemented in 2006 provided more operating space for cyclists

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1. Creating Dedicated Cycling Space

S I D

E W

A L K

8’Parking

Lane

10’Moving Lane

11’Moving Lane

Centerline

DO

OR

ZO

NE

S I D

E W

A L K

11’Parking

Lane

11’Moving Lane

DO

OR

ZO

NE 14’

Center Buffer with 10’ Turning

Lane

Pre-Traffic Calming (before May 2006)• Cyclists ride in “Door Zone”

– Dooring risk– Dangerously close passing

-OR-• Cyclists ride in Moving Lane

– Honking, Lane changes and Aggressive driving

Existing Condition (May 2006 – present)• Cyclists ride in widened curb lane

– Moderately safe passing distance– Cyclists partially out of door zone

• No dedicated cycling space

Planned Condition (Summer 2008)• Cyclists ride in dedicated lane

– Passing distance increased ~3 feet– 9’ parking lane + ½ of bike lane puts

cyclists clear of door zone– Organizes street use

S I D

E W

A L K

9’Parking

Lane

10’Moving Lane

DO

OR

ZO

NE 10’

Center Median with 10’ Turning

Lane

5’

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• Burgeoning destination for restaurants, bars and boutiques• Provides everyday services (grocery, cleaners, etc.)• Wide street within a large pedestrian-oriented district

Active Pedestrian Street

Vanderbilt Avenue’s width serves to divide the neighborhood and limit its potential

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2. Improving Pedestrian Comfort & Safety

• Physical Islands with landscaping will further calm traffic

• Islands/medians provide pedestrian refuge, easing crossing

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3. Further Calm Traffic for All Street Users• Tree Lined Median and Island Visually Narrow Roadway• 10’ Lanes for Traffic Defined by Bicycle Lanes and Median

New landscaped median on Carlton Avenue

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4. Improve Streetscape• Raised, Planted Median to Replace

Thermoplastic Striped Median• Greener, More Walkable Vanderbilt Ave Supports

Local Business

Existing painted median

Example of a landscaped pedestrian refuge island

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NSA

No Parking 8:30-10am Tu/Fr

2hr Meter

2hr MeterSchool & ASP

NS 4-7p

NSA

NS 7-10aNS 7-10a

NS 7-10a2 Hr Meter

Meter

ASP

NSA ASP

NS 7a-7p

NSA

Parking ChangesExisting Regulations

Planned Regulations

NSA –No Standing Anytime

No Parking 8:30-10am Mon/Th

• 3 blocks AM parking restriction removed

• 1 block PM parking restriction upgraded to 24 hours

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Implementation Elements & Draft ScheduleVanderbilt Avenue Repaved (Complete April or May)

New Markings Installed (Follows repaving)

Island Construction (June, July or August, 6-8 week construction)

Landscaping (Parks Dept) (between Mid-October & Mid-December)

Plan for Markings and Islands

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End of Presentation

•• Questions Questions •• Community Input: Specific Locations for New Community Input: Specific Locations for New

Curb Regulations to Reduce Double ParkingCurb Regulations to Reduce Double Parking