DeKalb Avenue Traffic Calming and Bicycle Lane Project

NYC Department of Transportation Presentation to Brooklyn Office of Alternate Modes Community Boards 2 & 3 March 2008 Why are we here?

• Bicycle Fatality & Serious Injury Study – Improve Safety • Mayor’s PlaNYC – A Greener Transportation Network • 1997 Bicycle Master Plan NYC DOT Bicycle Program

• 200 Mile, 3 Year Bicycle Route Commitment • Targeting Areas of High Demand & Key Connections • Design Approach: 1. Study Best Practices 2. Develop Innovative Designs for Constrained NYC Environment 3. “Complete Streets” Design Philosophy Neighborhood-Wide Bicycle Network

Implementation Timeline Tompkins & Throop Aves 1997, 2003 DeKalb Ave (west of Cumberland) 2004 Willoughby Ave April 2007 Carlton Ave & Cumberland St May 2007 Central & Evergreen Aves (Bushwick) June 2007 Bedford Ave October 2007 DeKalb Ave (2.6 miles) May 2008 Franklin Ave August 2008 Commuter Corridor

• Bus Commutes to Downtown Brooklyn & Subway • DeKalb is a Key Bus Route – 9th busiest in Brooklyn, 23rd busiest in NYC • B38 running at or near capacity – 2.6% increase in ridership from 2005-2006 (compared to .6% increase in Brooklyn and citywide) Bicycle Demand

12-hour* Bicycle Counts on DeKalb and Willoughby Avenues Cross-street Cross-street Street Cyclists** 1 2 Willoughby Tompkins (97) Marcy Ave Ave Ave 250 Willoughby (163) Clermont Ave Adelphi St Ave 410 Tompkins (138) DeKalb Ave Marcy Ave Ave 350 (132) DeKalb Ave Bedford Ave Skillman St 330 Washington (97) DeKalb Ave Hall St Ave 250 (263) DeKalb Ave Clermont Ave Adelphi St 660 * Cyclists counted from 7am-7pm

** Values in parenthesis are actual winter counts, values below are offset to estimate summer volumes Bicycle Commuting

Ideal Conditions for Cycling • High Residential Density • Lack of Subway Access • Low Car Ownership – 7 of 10 households are car-free (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy)* • Pre-automobile Era Neighborhoods

Bicycle Transportation • Flexible – No schedule or route – Ride to Subway or Work • Fast – Avoid traffic • Inexpensive – No fee for bicycle parking

*2000 Census Data, Long Form Existing Conditions

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a n e p M Pa n s a rk a l o in l g vi g la g n ng L ne n li g oa i c la di k n ne ng y i i ar c n m P d v ov e in

o g it lan m e i M L • 2 Travel Lanes • 2 Parking Lanes • No Dedicated Cycling Space: Uncomfortable Cycling Environment • Retail Frontages Allow All Day Parking: Double Parking for Loading Design Approach for a Complete DeKalb

1. Creating Dedicated Cycling Space 2. Improving Intersection Safety 3. Traffic Calming for All Street Users 4. Providing Safe Access 5. Maintaining Multimodal

Traffic Flow Planned Design: Buffered Bicycle Lane 1. Creating Dedicated Cycling Space

Existing Condition Cyclists Ride in “Door Zone” • Dangerously close passing • Threat of dooring • Pedestrians dart out from in S IDEW ALK S IDEWALK between cars 9’ 11’ 11’ 9’ -OR- Parking Moving Moving Parking Cyclists Ride in Moving Lane Lane Lane Lane Lane • Honking • Lane changes • Aggressive driving

Planned Condition DOOR ZONE Cyclists Ride in dedicated space • Bike lane and buffer provide safe passing distance S IDEW ALK S IDEWALK • 9’ parking lane + ½ of bike lane puts cyclists out of door zone 12’ 11’ 5’ 9’ Parking/ Moving Parking • Organizes street use and calms Bike Lane driver behavior Peak Lane + Lane Period 3’ Buffer Moving Lane 2. Improving Intersection Safety

Turning Conflicts at Intersections are Problematic – 9 of 10 NYC fatalities – 8 of 10 NYC serious injuries

Existing Conditions • No Guidance at Intersections

Planned Conditions • Bicycle lanes increase driver’s visibility and awareness of cyclists • Intersection markings highlight potential conflict 3. Traffic Calming for All Street Users

Existing Conditions Planned Conditions Excess road space in off-peak hours Design matches capacity to need • Speeding • Fewer opportunities to speed • Reckless driving/unpredictable lane – Lead vehicle sets pace changes • Constrained space calms traffic 4. Providing Safe Access Existing Conditions • All Day Parking at Retail and Other Active Land Uses Leads to Double Parking Issues created by double parking • Blocks Traffic Including Planned Bike Lane • Causes Unanticipated Lane Changes • Poor Access to Businesses Planned Conditions • Time limited parking for loading and retail use as needed

Retail Areas for Time Limited Parking (Final Locations Under Study) 5. Maintaining Multimodal Traffic Flow

Context Sensitive Design • Different design approach for long blocks and short blocks Existing Conditions: Volumes

1200 Malcolm X Blvd to Stuyvesant Ave

Franklin Ave to Classon Ave 1000 Clermont Ave to Adelphi St

800

600

400

200

0 1-2 pm 2-3 pm 3-4 pm 4-5 pm 5-6 pm 6-7 pm 7-8 pm 8-9 pm 5-6 am 6-7 am 7-8 am 8-9 am 12-1pm 9-10 pm 9-10 am 10-11 pm 10-11 am 11pm -12am 11 am11 -12 pm Design Tailored to Maintain Commuter Traffic Flows Planned Design Long Blocks – Right Turns

Existing Configuration

“Long Block” Plan at Intersections Peak Period (AM,PM) Moving Lane Planned Design Long Blocks – Left Turns

Existing Configuration

“Long Block” Plan at Intersections Planned Design Short Blocks

Existing Configuration

“Short Block” Plan

Lane Peak Period (AM,PM) Moving Parking Impacts

4 7 4 7 5 6 7 9 6 9 7

9 4 8 5 9 9 6 8 7 5 4 8 13 9 6 7

Peak Hour Parking Restrictions (~130 spaces, M-F 7-10a & 4-7p) Full-time Parking Restrictions (~60 spaces) Design Approach for a Complete DeKalb

1. Creating Dedicated Bicycle Lane with Buffer Cycling Space 2. Improving Intersection Lane Markings Through Safety Intersection 3. Traffic Calming for All Design Capacity Street Users Matches Need 4. Providing Safe Access Time Limited Parking 5. Maintaining Multimodal Peak Period Moving Traffic Flow Lanes Next Steps

RefineRefine PlansPlans BasedBased onon CommunityCommunity InputInput •• FeedbackFeedback onon CurbsideCurbside AccessAccess •• IdentifyIdentify LandLand UsesUses withwith CurbsideCurbside AccessAccess NeedsNeeds