Marcus Garvey Park Traffic Calming Q & A

Q: Why all these sudden and dramatic changes around Marcus Garvey Park? The changes actually aren’t sudden. The history of Mount Morris Park West traffic issues goes back

many decades. For years there were four moving lanes for traffic down Mount Morris Park West (MMPW) from W124 to W120 Streets and no traffic signals. It took the death of a child crossing into the Park in 1973 to convince DOT that a traffic light at MMPW and W122 Street was warranted.

Then, finally, in 1991, in response to continuing community pleas to help control the traffic down Mount Morris Park West, DOT applied the painted street markings as shown in the photo to the right. These painted markings narrowed the moving lanes from four to two, added two striped buffer lanes and “islands” at the turns to direct cars into the left turns and decrease the width of the street at the turns. A traffic light was also installed at W120 Street.

Q: What were the main community safety issues in 1973, 1991 and in 2013?

There are three primary issues that have continually plagued the community.

• The speeding and weaving of traffic down the four wide, but short, underutilized lanes of Mount Morris Park West. Some people even labeled MMPW “Harlem’s Indy 500.”

• The lack of crosswalks and safe access into Marcus Garvey Park on all sides of the Park • The dangerous, poorly banked 90° left turn from MMPW onto W120 Street. Cars making this

left turn too fast or in slippery conditions frequently would spin out of control, crashing into houses, fences and trees along W120 Street causing significant—and repeated—property damage. And pedestrians walked this stretch of W120 Street with trepidation.

View of MMPW south from W124 Street

Q: How did DOT come up with this plan? DOT did not come up with this design overnight. First, they needed to analyze the problems. They

did traffic counts, and traffic studies, and discussed the issues and possible solutions with engi-neers, special event coordinators such as the NYC Marathon and Harlem Skyscraper Bike Race, the NYC Parks Department and community leaders and residents. In early 2013, they prepared a proposal called the Marcus Garvey Park Street Area Improvements and presented it at Commu-nity Boards 10 and 11 (twice), as well as the MMPCIA January General Meeting. In it they high-lighted the three main areas of safety concerns:

1. Wide Road & Crashes:

The four-block Mount Morris Park West was found to be an overly wide and underutilized road. It was, practically and aesthetically, out of scale for the residential neighborhood. DOT determined that the traffic traveling down Fifth Avenue divided itself at 125 Street, with traffic turning right and left onto 125 Street. The remainder traveled one block to 124 Street and divided again, some turning left and others turning right. Then, the remainder turning right divided again at Mount Morris Park West, one lane going across W124 Street to Lenox Avenue and one lane turning left down MMPW, as shown on page 7 of the DOT presentation below. So, essentially, only one lane of traffic was entering at the top of MMPW. Traffic studies show that overly wide, underutilized roads allow speeding and weaving. This proved true on MMPW, especially when a green light can be seen down the road at W120 Street. Traffic studies have also shown that drivers subconsciously slow down when the parked cars are closer to the moving lane.

High speed turns contribute to crashes

Existing

Overly wide and underutilized roadallows speeding

and weaving

Wide Road & Crashes

7

2. Double Turns:

As a result of traffic studies and traffic observation, DOT has determined that double turns—where two lanes turn at once—are dangerous for both traffic and pedestrians. As shown on page 8 of their presentation below, the roads surrounding Marcus Garvey Park have three such dangerous double turn locations.

Existing

Double turns

Double Turns

Single turn

8

3. Long or Unmarked Crosswalks:

Marcus Garvey Park, the crown jewel of the Mount Morris Park Historic District and adjoining neighborhood, offers the community beautiful rose gardens with seasonal, colorful plantings. It also has three playgrounds, a full basketball court, a well-used dog run, a well-maintained Little League ball field, several picnic areas, plenty of benches to sit and enjoy a respite from the urban hustle and bustle, winding pathways up to the landmarked fire watchtower atop the wide stone acropolis and an Olympic-size community swimming pool. The Pelham Fritz Recreational Center on the west side of the Park features a fully equipped fitness center and the newly reno-vated Richard Rodgers Amphitheater.

The Park is also privileged to be surrounded by handsome rows of classic 1880s brownstones and larger residential buildings, a New York City Public Library, PS 79 Horan Elementary School, Harlem Childrens’ Zone, St. Benedict’s Day Nursery, Mount Morris Ascension Head Start Program and Harlem Village Academy High School.

But the residents and users of the Park have long suffered from the lack of safe and adequate crosswalks and access into the Park. And the inviting views into Park on all sides have been blocked with parked cars and large vans.

Long or Unmarked Crosswalks

Unmarked Crosswalks

LongCrosswalks

Existing

9

Q: How did you let the neighborhood know about these plans? MMPCIA has been in conversation with the Pedestrian Projects Group at DOT for years regarding

the Marcus Garvey Park traffic issues and others along Lenox Avenue. In February, 2012, DOT made a preliminary presentation at the MMPCIA Monthly General Meeting. After some revisions and further studies, a more formal presentation called Marcus Garvey Park Street Area Improvements was made at the MMPCIA January, 2013, General Meeting. MMPCIA sent eblasts and posted flyers on every building from W119 to W124 Street between Fifth Ave/MMPW and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. Presentations also followed at both Community Boards 10 and 11 and with our local politicians. After DOT answered questions and concerns from the Public Safety & Transportation Committees, both Boards voted to approve the plans.

NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY TIP! P lease keep stoop l ights on cont inuously dusk to dawn.

CB 10 & TRAFFIC

& LEAD…OH, MY! There’s a lot to talk about at the February

Community Meeting with MMPCIA:

• MEET PAIMAAN LODHI, District Manager, Community Board 10.

Get an update on what really goes on at community board meetings, what

CB 10 members are involved in, what activities are coming up.

• LEARN ABOUT DOT TRAFFIC PLANS for slowing down traffic on

Mount Morris Park West, West 120 Street and around Marcus Garvey Park.

• HEAR FROM PEGGY SHEPARD, Executive Director of We Act,

one of the leading organizations for environmental justice, about their ongoing

efforts to reduce environmental health hazards, research the best methods for

detecting lead in our homes and improve the living conditions of Northern

Manhattan’s children.

Mount Morris Park is your community too.

Let’s pull together to make it even better!

JOIN US

TUESDAY, FEB 21 AT 7PM

The Development Outreach Center

63 West 124th Street, MMPW/ Lenox Avenue

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

MMPCIA Wine Tasting & Membership Drive

Thursday, April 22, 7-10 PM

MOUNT MORRIS PARK COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

info@mmpcia.org | 212.369.4 241 | mmpcia.org

MMPCIA

FYI

☛

Page  2  of  3

roadway in our community.

! And speaking of moving on... It's also time to put plans for 2013 initiatives into motion. We want to hear yourviews on what the neighborhood needs, what you'd like from the organization andhow you want to participate. This is the meeting that will shape the year to come.

Come listen, learn, speak up, get involved!

Tuesday, January 15 at 7 PM

Note New Meeting Location:Pelham Fritz Community Center

18 MMPW at W122 Street

Future dates for your calendar:

Sunday, January 20 at 3:00 PM Three on 3 Presents: Jazz for Martin

Featuring Kelvyn Bell avant-garde jazz/funk guitarist, composer & educator

Mount Morris Ascension Church15 MMPW at W122 Street

Thursday, January 24 at 6:30 PMMount Morris Talks to Karen Phillips!

Pelham Fritz Community Center 18 MMPW at W122 Street

___________________________________

The Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association is a 501(c)(3)dedicated to preserving and revitalizing our Historic District and beyond, tofostering an environment of open and active opportunities, and to reflect aspectrum of voices, ideas and opinions of those who share the neighborhood.

A strong neighborhood voice is important to Central Harlem. We need you.Please consider becoming a member. Join today.

Friday,  September  27,  2013  12:46:18  PM  Eastern  Daylight  Time

Page  1  of  3

Subject: Tonight:  Traffic  &  Marcus  Garvey  Park  &  More.  Please  join  us.Date: Friday,  September  27,  2013  11:58:00  AM  Eastern  Daylight  Time

From: MMPCIA  (sent  by  MMPCIA  <mmpcia@mmpcia.ccsend.com>)To: info@mmpcia.org,  vp@mmpcia.org

FYI. Here's a meeting flyer sent out for January 2013 re the traffic plans.

Can't read this email? Click here.

Dear Ruthann,

! Traffic on Mount Morris Park West is about to change.

Kelley Yemen, Pedestrian Planner at NYC DOT (Department of Transportation), will show us the exciting traffic calming proposal for the streets surrounding MarcusGarvey Park that was recently presented to both Community Boards 10 and 11. Findout what's in store for one of the most picturesque yet dangerous patches of

Dear Neighbor,

Marcus Garvey ParkStreet Area Improvements

Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, New York City Department of TransportationPresented by Pedestrian Projects Group, January 8 & 9, 2013 to Community Boards 11 & 10

Spring2013

THE MOUNT MORR

IS PARK

 COMMUNITY IM

PROVE

MEN

T ASSOCIAT

ION

And whether you walk, run, bike, ride or drive, we’ve got news for you!

TUESDAY, January 15 at 7PM

Traffic on Mount Morris Park West is about to change. 

Come hear Kelley Yemen, Pedestrian Planner at NYC 

Department of Transportation, and find out what’s in store for 

one of the most picturesque yet  dangerous patches of roadway  

in our community.

Come listen, learn, speak up, get involved!

NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY TIP: Please keep stoop lights on continuously dusk to dawn.

It’s a New Year!Let’s get a move on!!

NEW LOCATION: Pelham Fritz Center18 Mount Morris Park Westmmpcia.org  212.369.4241

And speaking of moving on … it’s also time to put plans for 2013 

initiatives into motion. We want to hear your views on what the 

neighborhood needs, what you’d like from the organization and 

how you want to participate. This is the meeting that will shape 

the year to come.  Make sure your voice is heard!

Q: What did DOT’s traffic calming proposal look like on paper? DOT’s proposal was comprehensive. It proposed the following solutions: • New crosswalks would be added in key areas where they were missing. The crosswalks on

MMPW and Madison Avenue would be shortened with painted sidewalk extensions, indicated in beige the picture below. And the three double turns would be eliminated.

• The turn angle at MMPW and W120 Street would be normalized and highway-style markings would be removed.

• Mount Morris Park West would be reduced to one wide moving lane with two extra wide parking lanes on each side, as shown in the street elevation in the upper right in picture below.

• A new sidewalk extension space, or pedestrian plaza, using the former parking lane and striped buffer zone, would be created on the west side of Marcus Garvey Park.

Proposal

Organize MMPW to one lane &

eliminate double turns

14

Proposal

New painted sidewalk

extensions

15

Q: So how does the DOT’s traffic calming proposal work in reality? Of course, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder and big changes in the looks and procedures

of the status quo need an adjustment time. DOT will continue to monitor and test the traffic count and behavior. In one year they will be able to share the safety statistics with us. One thing is certain, in this DOT plan the safety of neighborhood property, residents and users of Marcus Garvey Park have finally received the equal attention and respect from DOT afforded the drivers traveling through the neighborhood and into the city.

Is it the perfect solution? Maybe not. Can it be tweaked? Of course. But does it solve the main safety issues? Although there is significant discussion and some disagreement, anecdotal evidence suggests that this is a workable solution. Given the input to the contrary that we’ve received from the residents along MMPW, we have asked the DOT to provide us with more factual information and to continue to study and share the outcome.

Before After

Q: Since the installation of the new traffic plan, MMPCIA has received a lot of feedback as to the look and effectiveness of the outcome—both positive and negative. MMPCIA, with input from DOT, would like to respond to some of this feedback.

Feedback is always helpful. We’ve tried to capture residents’ comments at meetings, on the street and from emails and group them into areas of concern. Following are the replies based upon additional discussion with and information from DOT. We’ve grouped these into broader areas of concern.

TRUCKS AND BUS TURNING:

“�Firetruck�and�a�flatbed�truck�couldn’t�make�turn�from�W122�Street� onto�MMPW�and�hit�a�parked�car.”

� “�Buses�have�difficulty�turning�from�W124�Street�onto�MMPW�when�another�bus�is�at�the�stop.”

RESPONSE: DOT will remove one parking space and extend the No Parking in front of Mount Morris Ascension Church to the corner of W122 Street. This will make it easier for emergency and larger vehicles to make the turn onto MMPW from W122 Street.

DOT will also move the bus stop on MMPW near W124 Street south one car length to include the fire hydrant zone. This will allow for easier turns from W124 Street onto MMPW particularly when a bus is at the curb. DOT has moved the parking regulation sign one spot closer to the intersection on W120 Street. This will improve the large vehicle turning radius from MMPW onto W120 Street.

TRAFFIC BEHAVIOR:

“This�plan�was�designed�to�increase�traffic,�not�decrease�it.”� “The�traffic�has�not�slowed.”� “�The�slowed�traffic�has�increased�the�amount�of�impatient�honking�

at�the�confusing�flashing�arrow�light�at�W120�Street.”� “�The�slowed�traffic�has�increased�the�amount�of�time�a�vehicle�blasting�loud�music�

remains�in�front�of�my�building.”� “The�steady�stream�of�slow�moving�traffic�means�more�pollution�in�our�front�windows.”

RESPONSE: Unfortunately, this is New York City, full of impatient and inconsiderate drivers. That said, DOT will discuss with Signals Division about the flashing yellow arrow in October, when the signal at Fifth Avenue and 124 Street is installed, to see if a green arrow can be used if honking doesn’t abate. The green arrow would not be flashing—it would have to be a solid green if the change was made. The problem with a green signal, though, is that it subliminally encourages drivers to speed up to make the light and to also honk at slower vehicles in front of them. Another solution under consideration is to install the pedestrian countdown signals which can also help drivers stay alert to the changes in their signals. As an interim solution, the flashing yellow arrow signal timing on MMPW has been lengthened to 90 sec-onds during rush hour, which should give traffic more time to move through the intersection.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING:

� “�It’s�treacherous�crossing–one�narrow�lane�now�means�a�steady�flow�of�traffic�that�makes� crossing�MMPW�more�dodgy–especially�at�a�corner�where�there�isn’t�a�light�or�crosswalk.”

� “�Now�when�drivers�see�us�trying�to�cross�with�kids�and�bikes�at�other�than�intersections� with�lights,�the�drivers�stop�and�motion�us�to�cross�out�of�consideration�creating�another� safety�hazard�when�vehicles�behind�them�don’t�see�why�they�are�stopping�so�suddenly.”

� “The�narrower�the�lane�the�more�risk�of�kids�running�out�of�the�Park�into�traffic.”

RESPONSE: First, jay-walking is risky and children learn from observation, so DOT will always recommend crossing at a controlled intersection with a crosswalk. That said, DOT is investigating count down signals at the signal intersections. Showing time left in the signal will improve crossing safety for pedestrians.

SERVICE VEHICLE LOGISTICS:

� “�What�about�snow�removal?”� “An�emergency�vehicle�on�MMPW�near�W121�backed�up�traffic�all�the�way�to�W124�Street.”

RESPONSE: Because MMPW is a bus route, Sanitation will prioritize it as they would any other bus route. Our plastic delineators are spaced far enough apart to let the plows in. The sidewalk extensions are like other sidewalks adjacent to parks—the Dept of Parks will clear a walkway path. As DOT points out, most of streets in NYC function successfully without emergency/snow lanes, including MMPW’s feeder streets, W124 and W120 Streets.

PARKING AND TEMPORARY PARKING:

“�Parking�is�treacherous�with�one�lane�so�narrow�that�large�vehicles,�like�buses,� can’t�pass�when�cars�double�park�and�parked�cars�get�hit.”

� “�Narrower�lane�has�now�eliminated�ability�to�double�park�in�front�of�our�building�to�unload� and�to�get�children�in�and�out�of�the�car.”

� “�What�about�diagonal�parking�like�on�Madison�Avenue?”� “Backing�up�to�parallel�park�or�pulling�into�traffic�is�dangerous.”

RESPONSE: DOT will widen the curb side parking lane to 13’ and reduce the parkside parking lane to 11’. This will allow for more room to temporary double park along curbside and at the nursery school.

Diagonal parking has never been acceptable on the west side of Marcus Garvey Park. Diagonal parking is for more commercial areas, not residential. Madison Avenue still has diagonal parking as a holdover from the former North General Hospital.

As an FYI, while some parking spots were lost on MMPW, the neighborhood had a net gain of 15 spots.

PEDESTRIAN PLAZA:

“NYC�Parks�Dept�is�allowing�garbage�to�be�piled�up�on�the�open�area�near�W124�Street.”� “NYC�Parks�Dept�cars�are�using�the�plaza�area�as�a�parking�lot.”� “�Concerned�that�the�plaza�will�be�a�parking�lot�for�events�in�the�Park�and�look�like

a�Yankee�Stadium�parking�lots.”� “Visibility�into�the�Park�is�reduced�and�police�can’t�see�in�to�catch�a�misdemeanor.� “Who�will�take�responsibility�maintaining�the�planters?”� “�If�street�furniture�is�going�to�be�installed�in�the�plaza�what�is�the�support�plan?”

Who�will�bring�these�in�and�out,�maintain�them�and�protect�from�theft?”� “�We�are�concerned�about�the�sketchy�characters�from�the�Park�hanging�out�on�the�plaza�and�

enjoying�it�more�than�we�will.�The�street�changes�simply�move�them�closer�to�our�front�doors.”� “�The�aesthetics�are�a�problem.�Aesthetics�influence�quality�of�life.�Our�beautiful,�wide�

Mount�Morris�Park�West�boulevard�has�been�ruined.�Reverse�the�plan.�Put�MMPW�back� to�what�it�was�and�put�a�light�at�every�intersection.”

RESPONSE: The Parks Dept will relocate where the trash is stored before carting away. It won’t be on the plaza. DOT is working with Parks to locate more appropriate parking spots for the Parks vehicles. Some slots on Madison or W124 Street may be designated exclusively for Parks vehicles. As a result, in the near future Parks trucks will not be parking on the plaza or double parking on W124 Street, half on and half off the curb. Regarding the planters, Parks has agreed to water the 12 large planters that are placed along Mount Morris Park West and MMPCIA will do the weeding/replanting.

As an FYI, DOT has jurisdiction over the plaza. Commercial activity on the plaza is not possible at this time. If the space became part of the NYC Plaza Program, which is a competitive process (see http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/publicplaza.shtml), we could look at a sub-concession agreement.

Regarding street furniture, DOT usually uses folding metal chairs/tables. However, DOT would need a maintenance partner to bring them in at night and set them up in the morning. MMPCIA does not have the resources to do this at this time and we definitely cannot ask Parks to do this work. The chairs and tables are like the ones seen in other DOT plazas around the city, for example at Times Square. Some of the furniture DOT uses can be seen in the photos at this link: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestri-ans/public-plazas.shtml. However, there are no current plans for furniture in the plaza at this time.

DOT does not usually install traffic lights at one-way intersections in residential neighborhoods where traffic is turning off from the main traffic flow, which means that W123 and W121 Streets would not normally warrant a signal. However, a new study is underway.

It was DOT’s original premise that the four-block Mount Morris Park West was an overly wide and underutilized road. They found that essentially the same amount of traffic travels along the three streets around Marcus Garvey Park, but the narrower W124 and W120 Streets did not have the same speeding and erratic traffic problems as MMPW. The new traffic calming plan has con-figured MMPW more in the proportion and feel of a residential street.

W124 Street looking east

Mount Morris Park West looking north

W120 Street looking east

Prepared by MMPCIA, October, 2013