Boulevard 74th St to Eliot Ave 2016 Proposed Corridor Safety Improvements

New York City Department of Transportation Presented to Community Board 4 Transportation Committee on March 1, 2016 Operational Project Limits

Operational Project 1: 2015

Operational Project 2: 2016

DOT continues to work with CB2 and monitor Operational area for potential issues, Project 3 including traffic delays and safety conditions

2 Project Timeline

• October 2015: Introduction and Workshop Notification to Community Board 4 Full Board • November 2015: Operational Project 2 Safety Workshop • February 2016: Briefing with • March 2016: Briefing with Elected Officials • March 2016: Presentation to Community Board 4 Transportation Committee • March 2016: Briefing to Community Board 4 Full Board • April 2016: Presentation to CB4 Full Board and vote • June 2016: Proposed Operational Project 2 Implementation Start • FY18: Great Streets Capital Construction Phase 1 Start 3 Operational Project 2: 74th St to Eliot Ave

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2016 Project Limits

Queens Place Mall

Queens Center Mall

4 Vision Zero Priority

• Queens Blvd (7.2 miles): Queens Pedestrian Safety Action Plan: Priority Map • Vision Zero Priority Corridor with 19 total and 12 pedestrian fatalities (2010-2014)

• Queens Blvd – 74th St to Eliot Ave (1.2 miles): • 4 Vision Zero Priority Intersections: • Albion Ave • Broadway/Grand Ave 2016 Limits • 55th Ave • Woodhaven Blvd/59th Ave • Fatalities: 5 total and 4 pedestrian (2010 – present)

5 Safety Data – 74th St to Eliot Ave

21 pedestrian KSI (killed or severely injured) is twice as high as rest of Queens Blvd with service road geometry

Majority of pedestrians (54%) hit at intersections, while crossing with the signal • Only 22% hit crossing against the signal

Total Severe Injuries injuries + Fatalities* 2010-2014 2010-2014 Community Outreach Efforts

Project-specific outreach conducted during November-December 2015:

• Queens Blvd safety workshop • Queens Blvd project website with feedback map and survey • 8 days of on-street outreach at 3 locations along corridor • 8 days of outreach at Queens Center Mall • Queens Blvd merchant survey

705 3,400 1,105 92 Feedback Approximate Surveys Businesses Map Interactions Completed Visited Comments 7 Queens Blvd Safety Workshop

Over 50 community members attended the Queens Blvd Safety Workshop on November 12, 2015

8 DOT Outreach Team

Queens Blvd at Broadway, Hoffman Dr, and Woodhaven Blvd Dates: November 8, 9, and 12 – 17, 2015

• Deployed at busy subway stations to promote the safety workshop and the online feedback portal • Helped conduct the portal survey • Explained the general process of redesigning Queens Blvd DOT Outreach Team

Queens Blvd Merchant Survey Visited all the businesses along the project Date: December 14, 2015 corridor to ask about commercial delivery patterns, double-parking observations, and basic background information

Proposal DOT Outreach Team

Queens Center Mall Dates: December 6 –13, 2015

• Received 631 map comments supporting street improvements

• Conducted 632 origin/ destination surveys

Proposal Queens Blvd Project Website

Queens Blvd website included: • Interactive feedback map • User survey • Project and outreach updates

74 map comments 473 surveys completed

www.nycdotfeedbackportals.nyc/queens-blvd Top Issues Identified by the Community

Unsafe-feeling and unpleasant pedestrian Request for more and better environment, especially at intersections pedestrian crossings

Request to improve safety for all users, especially at key intersections: • Broadway/Grand Ave • Woodhaven Blvd • Eliot Ave/LIE overpass

Westbound Queens Blvd service road underneath Expy overpass Top Issues Identified by the Community

Unsafe-feeling and uncomfortable to bike

Over 250 cyclists using Queens Blvd per day (data collected 7a-7p July 2015)

Requests for continuation of 2015 project

Westbound Queens Blvd at Albion Ave, looking west Top Issues Identified by the Community

Misuse of service roads and curb, especially near the malls

Buses are often blocked by taxis and other vehicles from pulling over curbside at bus stops forcing passengers into the street

Westbound Queens Blvd in front of Queens Center Mall, looking east Design Principles / Project Goals

1. Calm the service roads 2. Keep main line moving (preserve existing lanes) 3. Accommodate all road users and enhance the sense of place 4. Reduce roadway shopping

16 Design Principles / Project Goals

5. Design based on crash history 6. Complete pedestrian network and connect neighborhoods 7. Eliminate highway-like design features

17 Key Design Features Continue 2015 design with pedestrian path and bike lane along medians

18 Key Design Features: Stop-Controlled Transition

Before Continue use of Safer for stop right /left drivers, turn at transitions cyclists, and within 2016 limits pedestrians

After

Outreach Finding: More drivers use slips to switch back and forth to fastest moving travel lanes than for At some access to side streets locations, and local businesses daylight for safe turns

19 Benefits of Stop-Controlled Transition Lane

Turns between mainline and service Shifting transitions to intersections road prohibited at intersections (like at Eastern and Ocean Pkwys) increases conflicts for all users and potentially increases crashes

Existing movements Additional movements if transitions allowed at intersections

Stop-controlled transition lanes create safer transition points and allow for continuation of pedestrian and bicycle path 20 Proposed: 73rd St to 76th St

Remove parking where Install stop controls at transition lanes necessary along Continue bike lane to create safer transitions between median to installed in 2015 the mainline and service road and accommodate bike lane along the median across bike lane / pedestrian path and pedestrian path

Queens Blvd

Queens Blvd

Start pedestrian path Install parking lane at midblock crossing stripe on service and continue along roads to calm traffic median and create standard width moving lane 21 Proposed: Albion Ave/Hillyer St 67 8

Extend median tips with Install mall-to-mall crosswalks paint to shorten crossing to expand pedestrian network distances and expand and visually tighten wide

pedestrian refuge intersections

Albion Ave Albion Queens Blvd

Queens Blvd

Close low volume Remove underutilized meters transition lane close for half block between Hillyer to intersection to St and 51st Ave and convert to reduce conflicts regular on-street parking 22 st Proposed: 51 Ave 65 3

Install stop control Extend median on transition tips and adjust crosswalks

Queens Blvd

Queens Blvd

Extend left turn bay to Install mall-to- Remove underutilized Install stop prevent vehicles making mall crosswalks meters between Codwise control on left turns from blocking Pl and Goldsmith St and transition through traffic convert to regular on- street parking 23 Proposed: Van Loon St – Broadway/Grand Ave

Add parking on north Install right turn lane and Install curb between Install install Leading Pedestrian stop Extend 34 1 Reeder St and Van painted Interval (LPI) for north control on median Loon St (currently No curb crosswalk to give transition tips Standing Anytime) extension pedestrians a head start

Queens Blvd

Queens Blvd

Ban low volume, redundant left turns Install mall-to- Remove capacity from Queens Blvd onto Van Loon St to mall crosswalks on service roads 100 reduce conflict at a narrow intersection east of Broadway and expand pedestrian refuge to calm traffic and 5 Peak hour volume: 53 (EB), 37 (WB) reduce speeding 24 th th Proposed: 55 Ave – 57 Ave 87 2

51 Extend median tips 56 Pedestrian Install mall-to-mall 3 and install mall-to- path stops at crosswalk on south mall crosswalks 4 57th Ave side at 57th Ave

Install stop Mark two lanes on eastbound Expand pedestrian control on service road to separate vehicles space around island transitions continuing on Queens Blvd and to shorten crossing vehicles turning onto Hoffman Dr distance 25 th Proposed: 90 St – Woodhaven Blvd 174 9 Signalize and install right turn Install stop Move taxi stand lane to 90th St and install control for Install BUS ONLY between 90th St painted curb extensions to transition to markings for bus and 57th Ave

create safer pedestrian crossing mainline stop in front of mall

Queens Center Mall

Ave

th 59

Queens Blvd

Woodhaven Blvd Woodhaven

Install two-way bike Bike lanes Signalize transition from Ban left turn from lane on overpass continue against mainline to service road eastbound Queens Blvd connecting eastbound both medians to to accommodate high onto northbound and westbound lanes Woodhaven Blvd volumes crossing bike Woodhaven Blvd (without removing lane to service road (peak hour volume: 115) lanes on Woodhaven)26 Proposed: Woodhaven Blvd – Eliot Ave 23 2

Expand Install sharrows and Install new crosswalk pedestrian space bicycle markings to direct to create shorter,

on overpass cyclists to two-way path on more direct crossing Ave

eastbound service road

th

59

Woodhaven Blvd Woodhaven

Subway

Continue bike lane via two-way Install Install new Install painted space path on eastbound service pedestrian crosswalks on west with granite blocks road that accommodates actuated signal side of Eliot Ave to under LIE overpass to cyclists without removing at entrance accommodate allow pedestrians and lanes at westbound approach ramp to LIE pedestrian desire line cyclists to more easily to Woodhaven Blvd cross Queens Blvd27 Free parking on Parking Usage Study median vs metered parking on curb Metered parking on curb

Free parking on median (between 74th St and Broadway) • Street cleaning along median 6:30-7am everyday except Sunday

Findings from parking study: No vehicles park on median overnight • Few vehicles park on Queens Blvd overnight • Same vehicles are parked all day along median (very little turnover during school/business hours) • Curbside metered parking underutilized

28 Parking Changes

Parking changes are limited to west of Broadway/Grand Ave Existing Median Parking Regulations: Red = no existing parking spaces Only 50% of median in this section Green = existing parking spaces has parking spaces 19 spaces

29 Parking Changes

+10 spaces Currently: Metered parking

+10 spaces +10 spaces Currently: No Standing Anytime Currently: Construction Parking changes do not fully eliminate 138 – 50 = 88 net loss available spaces: +20 spaces • Median only has daytime demand Create +50 free parking Currently: Metered parking • Very little turnover on median spaces along curb • Significant available curbside space 19 spaces

30 Benefits of Safety Proposal

Pedestrian Path and Bicycle Lane • Calm service roads and reduce speeding • Expand pedestrian network and shorten crossing distances • Allow for safe, convenient bicycle travel • Creates predictable movements

Before: Queens Blvd at 58th St Stop-Controlled Transition Lanes • Allow for safer vehicle transitions between mainline and service road • Allow for pedestrian path and bike lane • Reduce highway-like feel

Median Tips and Mall-to-Mall Crossings • Shorten crossing distances • Create new crossings • Visually tighten wide intersections

31 After: Queens Blvd at 58th St Benefits of Safety Proposal

Traffic Signals and Timing Changes • Provide safer pedestrian crossings

Parking Changes

• Replaces underutilized After: Queens Blvd at 50th St meters with free on-street parking • Adds additional curbside parking where possible

Bus Stop Markings at Woodhaven Blvd • Discourages vehicles from blocking buses

32 After After: Queens Blvd at 59th St Thank www.nyc.gov/dot You

Contact: Queens Borough Commissioner’s Office at 212-839-2510 or [email protected]