Broadway: Union Square
Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan New York City Department of Transportation PresentedNEW YORK CITY August DEPARTMENT 22, 2011 OF TRANSPORTATION 1 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Project Summary
Before Implemented September 2010:
• Converted E. 17th Street from two-way to one-way
• Installed 12,784 sq. ft. of pedestrian plaza space on Broadway and E. 17th Street
• Upgraded 1.3 miles of bicycle facilities
• Eliminated conflicting vehicle movements at USW and E. 14th Street
After NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 2 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Project Summary
Before
Implemented September 2010:
• Constructed landscaped pedestrian safety islands
• Added farmer’s market parking
• Implemented side street traffic mitigation measures, particular focus on 18th Street
• Restricted turns off Park Avenue
After
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 3 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Post-Implementation Adjustments
• Signal timing adjustments to 22nd Street at Broadway and Park Avenue
• Neckdown removed at 17th Street and Park Avenue
• Neckdown radius altered for easier turns off Broadway at 22nd Street
• New flexible delineators to clearly mark parking on Broadway from 23rd Street to 21st Street
• Signal timing changes on 12th Street to improve traffic flow
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 4 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Safety • BEFORE: 28% of vehicles exceeded 30mph speed limit (average speed 27mph) • AFTER: 12% of vehicles exceeded 30mph speed limit (average speed 25mph) Percentage of Drivers Travelling above Speed Limit Broadway between 20th and 19th Streets 30%
28% 25%
20%
15%
10% 12%
5%
0% Before After
Before: radar speeds 7-9a and 8-10p July 27&29 2010, sample size 1300 vehicles After: radar speeds 7-9a and 8-10p October 26&28 2010, sample size 400 vehicles NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 5 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Mobility • Combined southbound traffic volume of Broadway and Park Avenue was maintained Average Vehicle Volume Park Ave between 19th and 18th, Broadway between 18th and 17th
Broadway Park Ave 1,400 1,287 1,240 1,092 1,200 809 1,042 1,045
1,000 570 814
800
600
Average Vehicle Volume Vehicle Average 400 472 431
200 231 195
0 Before After Before After AM PeakAM Hour PM PeakPM Hour 11am – 12pm 8pm – 9pm
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Before: Average midweek peak volume week of May 16, 2010 6 After: Average midweek peak volume week of October 24, 2010 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Mobility Project Area Taxi Speeds
Before (MPH) After (MPH) 13 -4% 12 0% 12.3 • 11.8 Median speed for trips taken on 18th 11 11.4 11.5 Street within the project area (6th 10
Avenue to Irving Place) improved by 14% 9 +2%
8 8.3 8.5 • Speeds on Park Avenue remained +14% 7 relatively unchanged in both the 7.0 6 northbound and southbound direction 6.0 5
• Median speeds for trips on 5th Avenue Speed (MPH) Taxi Median 4 between 26th and 13th Streets 3 decreased modestly 2 1 0 18th Street (EB) Park Avenue Park Avenue 5th Avenue (SB) 6th-Irving (NB) 26th-13th (SB) 26th-13th 26th-13th
Source: TLC GPS Data, Taxi Global Positioning System (GPS) data are provided by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) with resCorridorults compiled by DOT. The GPS devices track the average speed of taxis in revenue service including time moving freely, stopped at traffic signals and delayed in congestion. Before results represent the median of average taxi travel speed taken Sun-Sat 7a-12p & 4p-9p from October 18th – 31st, 2009. After results represent the median of average taxi travel speed taken Sun-Sat 7a-12p 7 & 4pNEW-9p YORK from CITY October DEPARTMENT 17th – 30 OFth TRANSPORTATION, 2010. Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Mobility
• Vehicles traveling from 5th Avenue/24th Street to 14th Street/Park Avenue South who used Broadway via 17th (before) or 18th Street (after) saw no change in travel times, however those using Park Avenue via 23rd Street saw a 15% increase.
Before After 6:00 0% +15%
4:48
3:36
2:24 5:02 5:05 4:59
4:15 Minutes : Seconds : Minutes 1:12
0:00 5th Ave-14th St via Broadway 5th Ave-14th Street via Park Ave S Before: Vehicle uses E/B 17th Street Same Route Before and After After: Vehicle uses E/B 18th Street
Note: Field travel time survey. Before results were taken in July 2010 while after results were taken in October 2010. In the before and after periods 78 runs were taken on both routes on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 7am and 8pm. NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 8 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Mobility
• Bicycle volumes on Broadway increased by 16% on weekdays and 33% on the weekends.
Bicycle Volume Broadway between 20th St. and 19th St.
Before After 1,600
1,400 +16% 1,362 1,200 1,150 1,000
800
600 +33% 554 400 372 200
0 Weekday Weekend Note: Data from single weekday counts and single weekend counts between 7a & 7p on 6/2/2010, 6/5/2010, 7/21/2010, and 7/23/2010
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 9 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Mobility
East Crosswalk of Broadway at 17th Street • The crossing is 42% shorter (from 43ft to 25ft) • “Walk” time more than doubled from 11 to 24 seconds • Pedestrian wait time reduced by 45%
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 10 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Economic Vitality
Taxi Passenger Volume • The number of taxi pickups and drop offs in Core Area 4-Day Period the project area were relatively unchanged 4000 3500 before and after the project 3000 3,467 3,290 3,155 3,148 2500 2000 Before Neighborhood Area 1500 After
1000 Number of Passegers of Number 500 0 Pick Up Drop Off
Core Project Area Taxi Passenger Volume Neighborhood Area 16,000 4-Day Period
14,000 13,824 12,000 12,875 10,000 10,499 10,815 8,000 Before 6,000 After 4,000
Number of Passengers of Number 2,000 0 Pick Up Drop Off
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Note: “Neighborhood area” data includes data from the “core project area” 11 Source: TLC GPS taxi trip records. Before: Oct 22-25, 2009, After: Oct 21-24 2010 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Economic Vitality: Local Response
Unions Square Partnership Survey Results:
• 74% of respondents reported that they like the new traffic configuration
• 20% of store owners/ managers say the plazas have improved business and none have reported a negative impact
Greenmarket Response: “Overall, having the pedestrian aisle along 17th Street has greatly benefited [the] Greenmarket.”
- Michael Hurwitz, Director
Sources: Union Square Partnership 4th Annual Community Opinion Survey and Union Square Business Survey NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 12 Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path Issues & Potential Enhancements
Issues Being Monitored Potential Enhancements • Consider additional traffic network • Illegal left turns at Union Square modifications th West and 14 Street • Install flexible delineators on 14th Street centerline • Install turn lanes at heavy turn • Cross-town traffic congestion locations • Southbound express bus operations • Explore new bus routes on alternate at Broadway & 23rd Street and Park cross streets Avenue & 23rd Street • Prioritize capital funding to upgrade • Longevity of existing plaza elements elements and enhance plazas
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Thank You