Draft Environmental Impact Statement Section II.C

C.1.v. Provisions for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Provisions for pedestrians and bicyclists within the project area are limited to at-grade streets and sidewalks within the industrial areas of and on both sides of and the Brooklyn residential neighborhoods of Greenpoint and East Williamsburg. Based on review of the Bicycle Map, 56th Road and Review Avenue are the only designated routes in the vicinity of the bridge and are recommended as areas where sufficient street width for bicyclists is available and where vehicular traffic is light.

Pedestrian and bicycle access across the bridge is not provided, and therefore persons crossing Newtown Creek must use the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge located approximately 1.2 km (0.75 mi) northwest of the or the Grand Avenue Bridge located approximately 2.1 km (1.3 mi) southeast of the Kosciuszko Bridge.

In Brooklyn, Meeker Avenue, Thomas Street, Cherry Street and Anthony Street provide at- grade pedestrian access via sidewalks parallel to the bridge. Access beneath the bridge is provided at Kingsland Avenue, Morgan Avenue, Vandervoort Avenue, Varick Avenue, Stewart Avenue, Gardner Avenue and Scott Avenue. Sidewalk pedestrian ramps are only found at the Meeker Avenue/Varick Avenue intersection and the Meeker Avenue/Stewart Avenue intersection. However, due to poor sidewalk conditions and/or lack of sidewalks at certain locations, handicapped accessibility is very limited parallel to and underneath the bridge.

In Queens, 43rd Street and Laurel Hill Boulevard provide at-grade pedestrian access via sidewalks parallel to the bridge between the LIE and 56th Road. Access beneath the bridge is provided at 56th Road, 54th Road and 54th Avenue. Access from the residential community of Woodside to the industrial area is provided from 43rd Street, which passes beneath the LIE to a pedestrian bridge connection between 43rd Street and Laurel Hill Boulevard. Sidewalk pedestrian ramps are provided at the following intersections: 43rd Street/56th Road, 43rd Street/54th Road, 43rd Street/54th Avenue and Laurel Hill Boulevard/54th Avenue. However, due to poor sidewalk condition and/or the lack of sidewalks at certain locations, handicapped accessibility is very limited parallel to and underneath the bridge. Underneath the bridge, handicapped accessibility can be found at 54th Avenue and 56th Road.

Pedestrian access to Newtown Creek is limited. Streets in Brooklyn terminate west of the creek and in Queens, access across the at-grade LIRR tracks is limited to 43rd Street, in Queens. There is no handicapped accessibility to Newtown Creek in either Brooklyn or Queens.

C.1.w. Planned Development for Area Planned and proposed residential, retail, and commercial development projects in Brooklyn and Queens were identified that could potentially affect traffic within the Kosciuszko Bridge Project study area. Each project is shown in Figure II-61, “Planned Developments,” and Table II-35, which also includes the expected year of completion and estimated traffic generation for the project, where available.

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TABLE II-35: PLANNED DEVELOPMENT IN PROJECT AREA Completion Peak Hour Trips Generated Project Name Year Design Year (Peak Hour) Brooklyn DSNY Truck-to-Rail Waste Transfer Facilities n.a. 2025 No net increase

Greenpoint/Williamsburg Waterfront Rezoning 2005 2013 953 (5 p.m. – 6 p.m.)

Kent Avenue/Franklin Street Reconstruction 2006 n.a. n.a.

Flushing Avenue Reconstruction 2007 n.a. n.a.

Newtown Creek Water Pollution Control Plant 2013 n.a. n.a.

Grand Street Bridge Replacement 2013 n.a. n.a.

Queens

DSNY Truck-to-Rail/Barge Waste Transfer n.a. 2025 No net increase Facility

Cross Harbor Freight Movement Project – n.a. 2025 174 (4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) Maspeth Intermodal Yard Site

Phelps Dodge Site Redevelopment n.a. n.a. n.a.

Grand Avenue Bus Depot 2006 n.a. 540 (2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.)

Queens West n.a. n.a. n.a.

Hunters Point Subdistrict Rezoning 2004 2014 45 (p.m. Peak Hour1)

MTA Revenue Handling Facility n.a. n.a. n.a.

MTA Project 2012 2020 0

Sunnyside Yard Pedestrian Bridge n.a. n.a. 0

Area-Wide

NYCDOT Truck Route Study n.a. n.a. 0 Notes: The Phelps Dodge Site Redevelopment and the Cross Harbor Intermodal Site are mutually exclusive. Estimates for peak hour trip generation are for the “design year” of each project. 1 Specific time period for p.m. peak hour not provided in project documentation.

BROOKLYN NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION’S SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN

As part of their Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP), the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) proposes to enter into long term (20 year) contracts with either one or two private waste companies in Brooklyn and one private transfer station in Queens. All three sites are located within the Kosciuszko Bridge Project Traffic Study Area.

The Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, published in September 2006, identified Allied Waste Services, located at 72 Scott Avenue/598 Scholes Street and Waste Management, located at 215 Varick Avenue, as potential truck-to-rail transfer facilities. The plan proposes that one or both of the facilities would be utilized. The facility (or facilities) would accept DSNY-

Kosciuszko Bridge Project II-91 March 2007 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Section II.C managed waste as well as some commercial waste. The waste would be transported to the facility via DSNY and private collection vehicles, processed, and loaded into containers. Containerized waste would leave the site on railcar via LIRR.

Each of the proposed facilities is currently operating as a private transfer station. The Allied Waste System site would require an expansion of its current permitted capacities. However, any proposed expansion would require a corresponding reduction in capacity at other facilities within the same service district.

The Draft Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, published in October 2004, proposed the use of the Waste Management transfer facility located at 485 Scott Avenue, immediately adjacent to and partially underneath the Kosciuszko, as a truck-to-barge transfer facility. However, based on negotiations with Waste Management, this facility is no longer under consideration for that use. It is, however, expected to continue to operate as a private transfer facility.

GREENPOINT/WILLIAMSBURG WATERFRONT REZONING

In 2005, the New York City Planning Commission rezoned a 184-block area that is currently zoned primarily for manufacturing and industrial uses to allow for a mix of residential and light industrial uses. The city has proposed residential densities as high as R-8 (max floor area ratio [FAR] 6.02). NYCDCP’s analysis projects that the reasonable worst case development scenario would result in the creation of approximately 8,257 dwelling units, and approximately 31,323 m2 (337,160 ft2) of retail/commercial space.

According to NYCDCP’s DEIS, by 2013, the projected development would generate a net of 734 vehicle trips in the AM peak hour (8 a.m. – 9 a.m.), 362 vehicle trips in the midday (12 p.m. – 1 p.m.), and 953 vehicle trips in the PM peak hour (5 p.m. – 6 p.m.).

KENT AVENUE/FRANKLIN STREET RECONSTRUCTION

The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is responsible for the design and reconstruction of the Franklin Street/Kent Avenue corridor through Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The project is approximately 5 km (3 mi) in length from the BQE to Commercial Street at the north end of Franklin Street. The roadway is a 12.2 m (40 ft) wide designated local truck route and carries one northbound and one southbound lane of traffic. Parking is generally permitted on both sides of the street. According to the Greenpoint- Williamsburg Rezoning Final Environmental Impact Statement, Franklin Street carries two-way traffic volumes of approximately 610 vehicles per hour in the a.m. peak hour, 640 vehicles per hour in the midday peak hour, and 790 vehicles per hour in the p.m. peak hour, south of Greenpoint Avenue. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2006. Once completed, this reconstruction project is expected to have no effect on traffic volumes or patterns.

FLUSHING AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION

DDC is reconstructing Flushing Avenue from Navy Street to Cypress Avenue. The capital construction project involves installation or reconstruction of the following: distribution water mains, hydrants, combined sewer, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, trunk water main, catch basins, curbs, sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, roadway pavement, traffic lights, street lighting, trees, and landscaping/urban design. Temporary vehicular access restrictions are expected to occur.

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Construction is to be staged in order to minimize disruptions in the area. The project is expected to be completed by the winter of 2007. Once completed, this reconstruction project is expected to have no effect on traffic volumes or patterns.

NEWTOWN CREEK WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT

NYCDEP is currently involved in the major expansion and upgrade of an existing 36-acre water pollution control plant to a 53-acre site. Work began in August of 2003 to expand the plant’s capacity in order to comply with mandated federal Clean Water Act requirements. When completed in approximately 2013, this reconstruction project is expected to have no effect on traffic volumes or patterns.

GRAND STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

NYCDOT plans to replace the Grand Street Bridge, which carries Grand Street in Brooklyn over Newtown Creek into Queens, where it becomes Grand Avenue. The existing bridge is extremely narrow, preventing two large vehicles from crossing the bridge in opposite directions at the same time. The replacement project is currently in preliminary design with an anticipated build year of 2013. The replacement bridge will include two standard-width lanes, improving operations in the immediate area. However, this improvement is expected have no significant effect on traffic volumes or patterns in the study area.

QUEENS NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN

As described above for Brooklyn, DSNY’s SWMP proposes to enter into long term (20 year) contracts with either one or two private waste companies in Brooklyn and one private transfer station in Queens. All three sites are located within the Kosciuszko Bridge Project Traffic Study Area.

As described in the SWMP, the Waste Management facility located at 30-58 Review Avenue in Queens would operate as either a truck-to-truck-to-rail or truck-to-barge transfer station, exporting containerized waste. A truck-to-barge facility would function similarly to the truck-to- rail transfer facilities described above. The truck-to-truck-to-rail transfer station would require the use of the Maspeth intermodal rail yard, one and a half miles away where the containers would be loaded onto railcars.

The proposed facility is currently operating as a private transfer station. The Waste Management site would require an expansion of its current permitted capacities. However, any proposed expansion would require a corresponding reduction in capacity at other facilities within the same service district. In the case of the Queens Waste Management site, as described in the plan, offsets must be achieved in Brooklyn Community District 1 or Queens Community District 12.

CROSS HARBOR FREIGHT MOVEMENT PROJECT – MASPETH INTERMODAL YARD SITE

The New York City Economic Development Corporation proposes to build a new rail-truck intermodal facility along Newtown Creek in Queens, utilizing the former Phelps Dodge site and several adjacent properties immediately to the east of the Kosciuszko Bridge as part of their plan to construct a new rail tunnel under New York Harbor connecting Jersey City and Brooklyn.

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If a single-track rail tunnel is built, the yard will encompass 108 acres. If a double-track tunnel is built, the yard will occupy 160 acres and also include an estimated 186,000 m2 (2 million ft2) container storage building. Either concept of the yard would be located immediately adjacent to the bridge to the east and it is possible that the design of new bridge structures could be affected.

The single tunnel alternative is projected to generate 54 trips (48 trucks) during the a.m. peak hour and 66 trips (54 trucks) during the p.m. peak hour. The double tunnel alternative is projected to generate 146 trips (130 trucks) in the a.m. peak and 174 trips (144 trucks) in the p.m. peak. The project proposes a number of mitigation measures, such as re-striping lanes, elimination of parking lanes and signal timing modifications. The DEIS for this project was published in April 2004.

PHELPS DODGE SITE REDEVELOPMENT

Following a multi-year cleanup effort led by NYSDEC, the former Phelps Dodge site (see Section IV.B.3.i for additional details) is planned for redevelopment by Sagres Partners. Sagres Partners is currently developing the site for manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and retail uses. Construction of a 7,000 m2 (75,000 ft2) warehouse is complete and other parcels are currently under development. The remaining undeveloped parcels, if developed to the maximum density allowed under the area’s M3-1 zoning, could house up to 160,000 m2 (1.7 million ft2) of additional building space. Construction of the Cross Harbor Freight Movement Project intermodal yard would acquire all property on this site. Because it is assumed that the intermodal yard would generate more trips than this redevelopment project, that project’s trip generation potential was used in the traffic forecasting.

GRAND AVENUE BUS DEPOT

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s NYCT is constructing a 51,000 m2 (550,000 ft2) bus maintenance facility at the corner of Grand Avenue and 49th Street. The facility, scheduled to be completed by January 2007, will be a multi-story complex operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The depot will store approximately 200 standard 12.2 m (40 ft) buses, with 175 buses used on a daily basis to service 10 existing bus routes. Five of the bus routes serve the study area while the remaining routes travel through the study area to access the facility.

Buses will enter the depot on 49th Street and exit onto Grand Avenue. The entrance and exit for employee parking will be on 47th Street. The facility will house approximately 1,200 employees working various shifts, with a maximum of 743 at any one time. Parking for 160 vehicles will be provided on the roof with additional parking provided in vacant bus bays. Buses and employees traveling to and from the site have the potential to affect traffic on Grand Avenue and other study area streets. According to The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) 2002 Environmental Report for the project, the depot would generate a total of 242 inbound and 38 outbound vehicle trips (cars and buses) in the a.m. peak hour (6:45-7:45 a.m.), and 249 inbound and 291 outbound vehicle trips in the p.m. peak hour (2:30-3:30 p.m.).

QUEENS WEST

Queens West Development Corporation, a subsidiary of New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation, is currently developing a mixed use community along the waterfront in Hunters Point, Queens. The total development would include 550,000 m2 (5.9 million ft2) of residential, 220,000 m2 (2.4 million ft2) of commercial, 24,600 m2 (265,000 ft2) of retail, and

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4,800 parking spaces. In 2004, Queens West Development Corporation received waterfront permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and NYSDEC to repair waterfront bulkheads, remove derelict structures, and build public piers and walkways. Traffic generation forecasts were not available for this project.

HUNTERS POINT SUBDISTRICT REZONING

NYCDCP rezoned 43 blocks in the Hunters Point area of . The rezoning maintains much of the existing mixed uses (residential and light manufacturing). NYCDCP projects the creation of approximately 300 new residential units over a ten-year period. Zoning changes would allow a wide range of commercial uses, including stores, restaurants, printers, and artist studios.

The Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) projects that the additional development will result in the generation of 38 a.m. peak hour vehicle trips, 23 midday peak hour vehicle trips, and 45 p.m. peak hour vehicle trips. Most pedestrian trips in the area are conducted by subway. The EAS does not include a detailed traffic analysis (such as expected distributions), because it does not meet the New York City Environmental Quality Review Act (CEQR) threshold of 50 peak hour vehicle trips generated.

MTA REVENUE HANDLING FACILITY

MTA is planning a new 10,000 m2 (110,000 ft2) revenue handling facility with 24-hour operations in Maspeth, Queens. Traffic generation forecasts were not available for this project.

MTA EAST SIDE ACCESS PROJECT

The East Side Access (ESA) project will connect LIRR’s Main and Port Washington lines in Queens to a new LIRR terminal beneath Grand Central Terminal in . A new tunnel will be constructed under Amtrak’s Sunnyside Yard connecting the eastern end of the under the East River with LIRR’s Main Line and Port Washington tracks and their connections at the . In order to access the 63rd Street Tunnel a construction access shaft near Northern Boulevard as well as a large cut-and-cover excavation in the northern part of Sunnyside Yard is required. A new station at along LIRR’s mainline (into Penn Station) will also be constructed. Construction of the Queens tunnel and the connections to the Harold Interlocking is scheduled to be completed by 2012. When operational, this project is expected to have no effect on traffic within the project’s traffic study area.

SUNNYSIDE YARD PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

The MTA is currently acquiring funds for a feasibility study that will evaluate the construction of a new pedestrian connection between the , the station and the new LIRR Sunnyside Yard station that will be built as part of the ESA project. Once complete, this project is expected to have no impact on traffic operations in the study area.

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AREA-WIDE NYCDOT TRUCK ROUTE STUDY

NYCDOT is undertaking a study of the existing truck route network within the five boroughs. The goal of this initiative is to coordinate engineering, education, information, and enforcement efforts so that trucks remain on designated truck routes until reaching their destination, and so that they do not inappropriately utilize residential streets. Improvements resulting from this study could include better signage, improved truck route enforcement, enhanced outreach to the trucking industry, as well as better management of the truck route network.

C.1.x. System Elements and Conditions The BQE is a vital link in the interstate system and the New York City arterial network. The BQE is also an integral part of the regional transportation plan for maintaining mobility in the area.

With the LIE at the eastern terminus and the at the western terminus, this section of the BQE is one of the most heavily traveled and congested sections in the BQE system. The recurrent congestion that is present during peak periods in both travel directions is the most pressing problem in this section of the BQE. This condition is indicative of expressway conditions in the area and throughout the region.

Since the BQE is the only north-south mixed-traffic, limited-access interstate traversing Brooklyn and Queens, it is anticipated that the expressway would not serve as a construction detour to other projects. It is also anticipated that the construction of this project would not require the detour of traffic to alternate routes. Any construction on the Kosciuszko Bridge would be coordinated with other projects planned for the area and the BQE, including the "triple cantilever" section in Brooklyn Heights and the Gowanus Expressway.

C.1.y. Environmental Integration In 1998, NYSDOT implemented an Environmental Initiative to foster a new ethic in the department. NYSDOT has moved from a policy of simple regulatory compliance to one where NYSDOT is now using its engineering and construction capabilities to become an important part of the state's efforts to enhance its environment. As a result of the initiative, NYSDOT now incorporates major contributions to the improvement of New York's environment as a part of its normal work, often with little or no additional dollar cost.

NYSDOT Engineering Instruction (EI) 99-026 states that it shall be the practice of the Department of Transportation to:

ƒ Plan, design, construct and maintain facilities that meet transportation needs while proactively protecting, conserving, restoring and enhancing important natural and man- made resources.

ƒ Seek opportunities to cooperatively advance Federal, State and local environmental policies, programs and objectives as part of the department’s work through close and systematic coordination with the public and concerned agencies and groups.

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ƒ Demonstrate leadership by piloting the development and implementation of improved methods for environmental protection and enhancement.

ƒ Employ safe and appropriate Context Sensitive Design measures to ensure that project designs reflect community values as understood through proactive outreach with local stakeholders.

Physical improvements completed under the Environmental Initiative generally fall into one of two categories:

1. Dedicated Environmental Benefit Projects – These projects are typically constructed within NYSDOT right-of-way and are related to the department’s mission. Projects of this type may include measures to improve water quality and wetlands, protect wildlife habitat, enhance transportation corridors, or promote eco-tourism. These projects are incorporated into NYSDOT capital projects and are completed entirely at NYSDOT’s expense.

2. Environmental Betterments – These projects are typically completed in joint development with either another public agency or with a private organization. Under this program, environmental projects that are funded by local agencies or groups can be incorporated into NYSDOT projects. These environmental enhancements can benefit from the economies of scale realized by large public works projects as well as utilize some of the design or construction-management experience of the department.

The Kosciuszko Bridge Project has a number of opportunities for both types of environmental enhancements described above.

Each Build Alternative includes the construction of new parks, improvements to existing parks, and streetscaping improvements in both Brooklyn and Queens. For details of these proposed improvements, see Sections III.C.2.m and IV.B.3.f.

C.2. Needs This section evaluates and correlates the features, conditions and deficiencies from Section II.C.1 to identify and describe the need for the project and the objectives that guided development of the project alternatives.

C.2.a. Project Level Needs The Kosciuszko Bridge carries over 160,000 vehicles each day, far more than for which it was designed. This has resulted in a number of safety and operational design deficiencies and, over time, has caused a number of structural problems.

SAFETY Central in the mission of NYSDOT is to provide a safe transportation system for its users. As described in Section II.C.1, the design of the existing highway within the project limits results in an elevated accident rate – as much as six and a half times the statewide average for similar facilities during the period analyzed. In all, 20 locations on the BQE, every ramp analyzed, and 16 out of 19 Meeker Avenue intersections analyzed experienced accident rates higher than the statewide average. Accidents involving injuries accounted for 29 percent of all accidents on the

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