jay street pedestrian plaza
DESCRIPTION
The Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn Committee urges NYC DOT to re-examine conditions near the Jay Street Plaza. Access to entry points are dangerous and construction planned in 2010 will only worsen the situations. This presentation scratches the surface of this problem.TRANSCRIPT
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Improving Access to Manhattan Bridge Plaza
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Plaza Location
Mantahhan BridgeBrooklyn Bridge
.25 mile walking radius
Jay Street
Sands St
Tillary St
Brooklyn Queen Expy
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SURROUNDING PUBLIC TRANSIT STOPS
- Plaza is very accesible by bus and subway
Subway F
Subway A/C
Bus Stops
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SURROUNDING INSTITUTIONS
Watchtower Society
NYC College of Technology
Freedom Academy High School
St James Church
George Westington High
US District Court
NYC College of Tech
US Post Office
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SURROUNDING PUBLIC SPACES• Close proximity to Cadman Plaza, but works at a different
scale and use• More intimate because of its relation to Manhattan Bridge
Cadman Plaza
McLaughlin Park (Tillary St Courts)
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SURROUNDING PUBLIC SPACES
• Pocket Parks such as Bridge Parks 1, 2, 3 are close but unconnected, left-over spaces in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge/ BQE intersection
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Celebrating its centennial anniversary in October 2009,
the Manhattan Bridge is a vital link between Brooklyn
and Manhattan.
• Since opening in 2004, the separated northbound bicycle path has helped reduced user conflict with the southbound pedestrian path, and provides an alternative to the tourist-clogged Brooklyn Bridge.
BACKGROUND
• 2001 South path opened as shared space for peds/bikes
• 2004 North path opened for bikes, reducing user conflict. Now 2nd most cycled bridge in city
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IMPROVEMENTS FOR USERS
North Side - Sands Street Protected bike path - planned in 2005, averaged 800 cyclists/ 12 hours
- opened 2009, averaged over 2600 cyclists/ 12 hours- specialized bike traffic signals for dangerous
intersection crossing Sands Street
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IMPROVEMENTS FOR USERS
North Side - New Planting-add beautification to city streets
- increase storm water run-off collection
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IMPROVEMENTS FOR USERS
South Side - Pedestrian Plaza- 2007, Pedestrian Plaza was rehabbed at southern foot of bridge. Twenty trees, dozen benches, eight historic lamp-posts installed, and plaque marking the bridge as
civil engineering landmark. Designed as a more attractive places for pedestrians.
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BUT the plaza is EMPTY
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• Plaza entrances don’t need to be changed but access to them needs to be improved.• Sidewalk fences only accommodate entry at Sands Street, yet foot and bike traffic comes from the
south on Jay street• Park users must take indirect path for High Street staircase and Nassau Street ramp.
ENTRY POINTS ARE UNAPPROACHABLE
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- Pedestrians pick the most obvious, direct path - the existing crosswalk on Nassau
ENTRY POINTS CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS
- Then they cross exiting Manhattan Bridge traffic dangerously.
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- Then Pedestrians must hop a fence, or walk beside traffic to enter Plaza
ENTRY POINTS CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS
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- Then Pedestrians must hop a fence, or walk beside traffic to enter Plaza
ENTRY POINTS CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS
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- Then Pedestrians must hop a fence, or walk beside traffic to enter Plaza
ENTRY POINTS CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS
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ENTRY POINTS CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS
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construction (2010 - mid 2013)NYC DOT said “The bikeway on the north side of the bridge will also be closed for as long as eight months during the project.” Just as during the previous phase of bridge repair (10/06 - 8/07) “cyclists will share the walkway on the south side of the bridge with pedestrians” which has a staircase only entry.
This will force nearly 3000 daily cyclists to Southern Entrance, adding even more users undesirable entries.
TIME TO ACT IS NOW
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GOOD Ped/Bike Entry
BAD Ped/Bike Entry
Time to REVAMP
path & plaza entrances
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SUGGESTIONS for
IMPROVEMENTS- removes gates at southern entrance, for bicycle access
to plaza
- bicycle route markings on Jay street North (bike lane or sharrows) and through plaza
- New Signage -A) yield to cyclists/ peds signage for vehicles exiting
ramp B) bikes yield to pedestrians in plaza
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SUGGESTIONS for
IMPROVEMENTS
- Install Stop Light and Raised Crosswalk at High street, leading to
plaza steps
- Remove pedestrian fencing for DIRECT access to High street steps
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SUGGESTIONS for
IMPROVEMENTS
- Remove portions of pedestrian fencing on concrete island separating Nassau and Bridge Exit, as well as portions of concrete
jersey barriers on sidewalk
- Install Crosswalk at Nassau street for continuous Northern flow of pedestrians
on Eastern Side of Jay Street
Remove
Remove
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BENEFITS of ENTRY IMPROVEMENTS
• make pedestrians and cyclists feel safer accessing the Manhattan bridge
• bring more users to the under-utilized plaza
• slows traffic exiting the Manhattan Bridge
• gives Manhattan Bridge comparable entry treatment to recently revamped BK bridge
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• Community Board 2• Friends Academy • CUNY Technology • FEGS • Concord Village Apartments• St James Church• Watchtower Society• George Westington High
WHERE DO WE GET SUPPORT?
• Assemblywoman Joan Millman• Councilman-elect Steve Levin • State Senator Dan Squadron
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WHAT NEXT?
• Continue working with organizations in immediate vicinity to gain more support
• Work with Community Board 2 transportation Committee to review current Plaza conditions and explore other possibilities for improvement
THEN - - -
• Ask the NYC Department of Transportationo to study entry and approach
access to the Jay Street Plaza of the Manhattan Bridge
o to propose improvements to entry points with specific regard for pedestrians and cyclists
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END