Access Modification Report
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Bruckner-Hutch Mobility Improvement Project I-95 and NY 908A PIN X731.27 Bronx County, New York DRAFT APPENDIX X7: ACCESS MODIFICATION REPORT Prepared for: New York State Department of Transportation Prepared by: November 2020 Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 A. Project Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 3 B. Project Need .................................................................................................................................... 3 C. FHWA’s Policy Statement ................................................................................................................ 6 II. PROPOSED CHANGES TO ACCESS POINTS ...................................................................................... 6 III. COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY POINTS .................................................................................................. 8 A. Study Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 8 B. Policy Point 1: Operational and Safety Analysis .............................................................................. 8 1. Policy Point 1A: Operational and Safety Analysis on the Interstate ............................................ 8 2. Policy Point 1B: Operational and Safety Analysis on the State/Local System .......................... 10 3. Policy Point 1C: Effects of Project on Adjacent Interchanges ................................................... 11 C. Policy Point 2: Connection to a Public Road and Accommodation of all Interchange Movements12 IV. CONCEPTUAL SIGNING PLAN ........................................................................................................... 12 i Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 I. INTRODUCTION The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is proposing to address the existing geometrical, operational and safety issues on Northbound I-95 in the vicinity of the I-95 (Bruckner Expressway/New England Thruway) and Bronx and Pelham Parkway Interchange in Bronx County, New York. The purpose of the Project is to provide improved mobility and safety on Northbound I-95 (Bruckner Expressway/New England Thruway) and Pelham Parkway Interchange while also addressing geometric and operational deficiencies within the Project Area. In addition, the Project will also provide improved access to Co-Op City neighborhood. The Project is located along a 0.6-mile segment on the I-95 in the vicinity of Pelham Bay Park and a 0.6- mile segment on the Hutchinson River Parkway to the southwest of the Hutchinson River in Bronx County. The project consists of two different locations; the first location is the northbound direction at the interchange between I-95 and Pelham Parkway; the second location is on the Hutchinson River Parkway northbound direction between I-95 and Bartow Avenue. The project area boundary and study limits are shown in Figure 1. The study limits for both the operational and safety analysis for this project, extends well beyond the Project Area. Figure 1 illustrates the study limits in northeast Bronx County. The study limits include: • Northbound I-95, Bruckner Expressway and New England Thruway from the interchange with I-695, Throgs Neck Expressway, to the interchange with the Hutchinson River Parkway near the Westchester County Line. • Hutchinson River Parkway from the interchange with Pelham Parkway to Bartow Avenue, adjacent to the Hutchinson River. • Bronx and Pelham Parkway from Stillwell Avenue to the Pelham Bay Bridge on Shore Road. 1 Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 2 Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 A. Project Purpose The purpose of this project is to alleviate traffic congestion in the I-95/Pelham Parkway interchange area, by addressing geometric and operational deficiencies to improve safety and mobility; and, by providing NB Hutchinson River Parkway traffic direct access to the Co-Op City. Providing direct access to Co-op City community from NB Hutchinson Parkway will further help meet the purpose of the project, since traffic will no longer need to travel through the I-95/Pelham Parkway interchange from Hutchinson River Parkway to get to Co-Op. The following objectives have been established to further refine the project purpose: • Reduce travel times on the northbound I-95 within the Project Area; • Improve access to the Co-op City neighborhood; • Improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings at the interstate ramps; and • Improve geometric and operational deficiencies associated with the I-95 ramps. B. Project Need The need for this Project developed due to heavy traffic congestion and high crash rates within the study limits. As discussed in Chapter 2 of this DDR/EA, a substantial amount of crashes occurs within the Study Area due to high volumes, congestion and the interchange-related weaving movement on this segment of I-95. Mobility is limited within the Project Area due to traffic congestion during morning and evening peak periods. Congestion occurs during the morning and evening peak periods on northbound I-95, with the morning having the highest congestion. The congestion starts on northbound I-95, exit to Hutchinson River Parkway and sometimes extends 1.5 miles southward to the merge area between I-95 and Throgs Neck Expressway (I-695). The congestion in this section is the result of multiple operational and geometric deficiencies of the interstate highway and ramps entering and exiting I-95. The fourth travel lane drops from I-95 at Exit 8B to Pelham Parkway/Orchard Beach/City Island. Thus, the capacity of the mainline decreases but a relatively low volume of traffic uses the exit, resulting in an unbalanced demand and capacity on the mainline. There are four consecutive ramps on northbound I-95 within a distance of 1,400 feet from Exit 8B to Exit 8C. Just north of the lane drop at Exit 8B, there are two weaving segments with less than 500 feet of weaving distance, with a high number of weaving vehicles causing significantly lower speeds than the free flow speed. Congestion also occurs on the ramp from eastbound Pelham Parkway to northbound I-95 and local roads. The congestion on the ramp is caused by the stop sign at the end of the ramp yielding the right-of-way to traffic coming from northbound Bruckner Blvd which enters the mainline just 150 feet before. The volume of traffic from northbound Bruckner Blvd is also quite high, so oftentimes motorist from Pelham Parkway have to wait for an acceptable gap to enter into the mainline. The high traffic volumes on Bruckner Blvd are partly due to motorists using it as an alternative to the congested I-95 mainline. The congestion, geometric conditions and traffic control devices on northbound I-95 contribute to the number of crashes on the I-95 mainline. There is a high crash rate on northbound I-95 from Wilkinson Avenue to the Amtrak railroad overpass. There are several locations observed where crashes are more likely to occur; specifically, just south of the exit to Pelham Parkway/Orchard Beach/City Island, south of the entrance ramp from northbound Bruckner Blvd. to northbound I-95 and the I-95 Overpass over Pelham Parkway. Most of the crashes that occur at those high crash locations are rear-ends and side-swipes. The high number of crashes at those locations is likely due to the lane drop at the Orchard Beach/City Island exit, merging and weaving movements to/from entrance and exit ramps and the congestion on northbound I-95. 3 Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 In addition to relieving congestion and improving safety, a new and more direct connection to Co-Op City is needed. Currently there is no connection to Co-Op City neighborhood on the Hutchinson River Parkway; the nearest connection is on the I-95. Motorists on the Hutch destined for Co-Op City currently need to take an indirect route passing through I-95, which results in longer travel times. Motorist on northbound Hutchinson River Parkway with destinations in Co-Op City must use eastbound Pelham Parkway and northbound I-95 to access either Palmer Ave (Exit 9) or Bartow Ave (Exit 11) exits to reach the Co-Op City community, as shown in red in Figure 2. For further information about the project, please refer to information in the body and appendices of this Draft Design Report/Environmental Assessment/Draft Section 4(f). 4 Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 5 Appendix X7 August 2020 Draft Access Modification Report PIN X731.27 C. FHWA’s Policy Statement The statement below has been prepared by applying the outline in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Policy on Access to the Interstate System and following the Considerations and Requirements provided therein. 1. An operational and safety analysis has concluded that the proposed change in access does not have a significant adverse impact on the safety and operation of the Interstate facility (which includes mainline lanes, existing, new, or modified ramps, and ramp intersections with crossroad) or on the local street network based on both the current and the planned future traffic projections. The analysis should,