PIN X110.23 THE BRONX ZOO ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT SCOPING REPORT APRIL 2006 PREPARED BY: NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, REGION 11 IN COLLABORATION WITH TAMS, an Earth Tech company - a - TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. I. Project Evolution/Introduction/Project Summary......................................................... 1 II. Project Identification, Evolution, Conditions and Needs, and Objectives A. Project Identification 1. Project Type........................................................................................................... .8 2. Project Location...................................................................................................... 8 B. Project Evolution ........................................................................................................ 8 C. Conditions and Needs 1. Transportation Conditions and Engineering Considerations a. Functional Classifications and FA System........................................................ 9 b. Ownership and Maintenance Jurisdiction.......................................................... 9 c. Culture, Terrain and Climatic Conditions ......................................................... 9 d. Control and Access.......................................................................................... 10 e. Existing Highway Section............................................................................... 10 f. Abutting Highway Segments and Plans for Abutting Highways Segments..... 12 g. Speed and Delay.............................................................................................. 14 h. Traffic Volumes .............................................................................................. 14 i. Level of Service .............................................................................................. 18 j. Non Standard features ..................................................................................... 23 k. Safety Considerations, Accident History and Analysis ................................... 26 l. Pavement and Shoulder Conditions................................................................. 33 m. Guide Railing, Median Barriers, Impact Attenuators ...................................... 33 n. Traffic Control Devices................................................................................... 33 o. Structures ........................................................................................................ 34 p. Hydraulics and Bridges and Culverts .............................................................. 34 q. Drainage Systems............................................................................................ 34 r. Soil and Foundation Conditions ...................................................................... 34 s. Utilities............................................................................................................ 34 t. Railroads and Buses ........................................................................................ 34 u. Landscaping .................................................................................................... 35 v. Provisions for Pedestrians and Bicyclists........................................................ 35 w. Planned Development for Area ....................................................................... 36 x. System Elements and Conditions .................................................................... 36 y. Community Participation ................................................................................ 36 - b - 2. Needs a. Pavement Deficiencies.........................................................................................36 b. Safety Deficiencies. .............................................................................................36 c. Bridges Structural Deficiencies ...........................................................................37 d. Capacity Deficiencies ..........................................................................................37 e. Modal Interrelationship........................................................................................38 f. System Deficiencies.............................................................................................38 g. Mobility Deficiencies ..........................................................................................38 h. Social Demand and Economic Development ......................................................39 i. Transportation Plans ............................................................................................39 D. Project Problem Identifications and Project Goals and Objectives .........................39 III. Alternatives A. Design Criteria ...............................................................................................................44 B. Feasible Alternatives 1. Description of Feasible Alternatives..........................................................................50 2. Engineering Conditions and Feasible Alternatives (a) Geometries .....................................................................................................82 (b) Traffic Forecasts, Level of Service and Safety Considerations.....................82 (c) Pavement........................................................................................................82 (d) Structures .......................................................................................................82 (e) Hydraulics......................................................................................................82 (f) Drainage.........................................................................................................82 (g) Maintenance Responsibility...........................................................................83 (h) Maintenance and Protection of Traffic ..........................................................83 (i) Soil Foundation..............................................................................................83 (j) Utilities...........................................................................................................83 (k) Railroads and Buses.......................................................................................83 (l) Right-Of-Way ................................................................................................83 (m) Landscaping Development.............................................................................83 (n) Provisions for Pedestrians, including Persons with Disabilities....................84 (o) Provisions for Bicycling ................................................................................84 (p) Lighting..........................................................................................................84 C. Project Costs and Schedule 1. Costs...........................................................................................................................84 2. Schedule.....................................................................................................................84 - c - IV. Social Economic and Environmental considerations A. Environmental Action Plan (EAP/NEPA) Classification .......................................... 84 B. State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Classification.................................... 85 C. List of Anticipated Cooperating Agencies ................................................................ 85 D. Identification of Potential Social, Economic and Environmental Issues ................... 85 E. Anticipated Permits and Approval Required............................................................. 85 F. List of Sources Reviewed ......................................................................................... 86 G. Early Coordination Requirements............................................................................. 86 V. Evaluation and Comparison of Alternatives A. Evaluation and Comparison ...(Table N)............................................................... 88 VI. Minutes of Meetings, Correspondence and Comments.............................................. 90 Appendix. (The Bronx Zoo Access Improvement Study report prepared in 24©2 includes an appendix which includes supporting traffic data, accident data, etc. for this PSR. This appendix can be examined in the NYSDOT office) - d - Final PSR, April 26, 2006 List of Figures Figure Description Following Page No. 1. Project Location Map...........................................................................................................8 2. Project Study Area ...............................................................................................................8 3. Signalized Intersection at Eastbound Pelham Parkway/Boston Road...............................11 4. Signalized Intersection at Boston Road/Bronx Park East..................................................13 5. Unsignalized T-Intersection at Boston Road/NB Bronx River Parkway ..........................13 6. Unsignalized T-Intersection at Boston Road/Bronx Zoo Entrance ...................................17 7. Existing (2042) AM (8-9 am) Hourly Volumes. ...............................................................17 8. Existing (2002) Mid-day (12-1 pm) Hourly Volumes and LOS Results...........................17 9. Existing (2002) PM (5-6 p m) Hourly Volumes and LOS Results....................................17 9A. Future No-Build (2026)