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Transportation & Environment
Proposal by Department of Transportation for Redesign of Broadway from 21st St. to 23rd St., 38th St. to 40th St., and 47th St. to 53rd St.
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, May 13, 2021, the following resolution passed with a vote of 32 in favor; 1 opposed; 1 abstaining; 1 present not entitled to vote:
WHEREAS, The New York City Department of Transportation (“DOT”) has undertaken the Broadway Vision project to promote pedestrian and cyclist safety as well as create new spaces for public use; and
WHEREAS, As a part of the Broadway Vision project, DOT has proposed a series of street treatments for blocks of Broadway from 21st St. to 23rd St., 38th St. to 40th St., and 47th St. to 53rd St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT has created a toolkit of proposed block treatments, including Base Block, Slow Block, Shared Block, and Plaza Block, each of which allocate varying degrees of roadway access to different modes of transportation; and
21st St. to 23rd St.
WHEREAS, For Broadway from 21st St. to 23rd St., DOT has proposed a Slow Block treatment that utilizes chicanes to slow automobile traffic while maintaining access for automobiles, pedestrians, and cyclists; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed relocating the existing bike share dock on Broadway between 21st St. and 22nd St. from the northern half of the block to the southern half of the block, providing a protective barrier for southbound cyclists as they leave the proposed Slow Block; and
WHEREAS, DOT plans to preserve metered parking on Broadway between 21st St. and 23rd St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT proposes changing the current parking regulations on 21st St. and 22nd St. between Broadway and Park Ave. to replace existing no standing rules between 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. with three-hour metered parking, consistent with other nearby blocks; and
38th St. to 40th St.
WHEREAS, For Broadway from 38th St. to 39th St., DOT has proposed a Slow Block treatment that utilizes chicanes to slow automobile traffic while creating a new protected bike lane; and
WHEREAS, For Broadway from 39th St. to 40th St., DOT has proposed a Plaza Block treatment, which will close the block to vehicular traffic while creating a new protected bike lane; and
WHEREAS, Broadway from 39th St. to 40th St. has been previously closed to vehicular traffic for two summers as part of DOT’s Summer Streets program as well as the recent Open Streets program; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed relocating the existing bike share dock on Broadway between 38th St. and 39th St. from the eastern side of the block to the western side of the block; and
WHEREAS, DOT is considering two alternatives for a bike lane protected by the relocated bike dock on Broadway between 38th St. and 39th St., including a one-way treatment or a two-way bike lane to accommodate both northbound and southbound bicycle traffic, and whereas community members expressed general support for two-way bike lanes to safely accommodate riders and protect pedestrians, but also expressed concern and a desire for more data on the potential issues with a two-way bike lane on this block that does not connect to a two-way continuation bike lane on both ends; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed installing a new dedicated left turn bay on 40th St. as it approaches Sixth Ave.; and
WHEREAS, DOT plans to preserve commercial metered parking on 39th St. and 40th St. between Broadway and Sixth Ave.; and
WHEREAS, DOT proposes changing the current parking regulations on Broadway between 38th St. and 39th St. to replace three hour commercial parking regulations on both sides of the street with a no stopping zone on the west side of the block, a no standing zone on most of the east side of the block, and commercial one hour parking near the middle of the east side of the block, resulting in a net loss of 12 parking spots on the block; and
47th St. to 53rd St.
WHEREAS, For Broadway from 47th St. to 53rd St., DOT has proposed a Slow Block treatment that utilizes chicanes to slow automobile traffic while maintaining access for automobiles, pedestrians, and cyclists and creating additional programmable space; and
WHEREAS, DOT plans a phased implementation of their proposed changes to Broadway between 47th St. and 53rd St., with Phase One including implementation on Broadway between 47th St. and 50th St. and Phase Two including implementation on Broadway between 49th St. and 53rd St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed installing new bike corrals on Broadway between 47th St. and 48th St. and between 49th St. and 50th St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed relocating the existing bike share dock from the east side of Broadway between 48th St. and 49th St. to the west side of Broadway between 49th St. and 50th St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT plans to preserve automobile garage access on Broadway between 52nd St. and 53rd St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed signal changes for the intersection of Broadway and 48th St. to minimize conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed relocating the existing bike share dock from the east side of Broadway between 51st St. and 52nd St. to the east side of Broadway between 50th St. and 51st St.; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed replacing metered parking on Broadway between 47th St. and 49th St. with no stopping zones on the eastern side of the blocks and no standing zones on the western sides of the block, while maintaining hotel loading for the western side of Broadway between 48th St. and 49th St., resulting in a net loss of 13 parking spots; and
WHEREAS, DOT has proposed maintaining existing parking regulations on Broadway between 49th St. and 51st St., with a net loss of four parking spots, due to the installation of a chicane; and
Conclusions
WHEREAS, DOT has agreed to return to Community Board Five at the end of Summer 2021 to provide an update on the implementation of the treatments on the selected blocks; and
WHEREAS, DOT has conducted traffic analysis, surveys, and stakeholder outreach regarding the blocks to be redesigned; and
WHEREAS, Many community members have expressed concern about the removal of parking spaces and the limiting of vehicular access for local residents; and
WHEREAS, Many community members have advocated further expanding the street space available to pedestrians and cyclists beyond what DOT is currently proposing; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five supports DOT’s plans for street redesigns on Broadway from 21st St. to 23rd St., 38th St. to 40th St., and 47th St. to 53rd St.; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of DOT’s proposed changes to parking regulations on 21st St. and 22nd St. between Broadway and Park Ave.; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that DOT install signage along the Broadway bike lanes indicating that cyclists must use bike lanes when available, which Community Board Five emphasizes is within DOT’s purview; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that DOT install audible signals on pedestrian crossings on affected blocks to ensure the safety of visually-impaired pedestrians, and to engage the visually-impaired community on an ongoing basis; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that DOT guarantee vehicle access for residents between 22nd St. and 23rd St.; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that DOT identify options for mitigating the impact of the closure of 40th St., which forces automobiles that would normally turn right onto Broadway at 40th St. to instead make three left turns; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that DOT provide Community Board Five with more time going forward to adequately review all proposals; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends that DOT further expand pedestrian and bicycle space on these and other blocks along the Broadway corridor; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that enforcement of illegal cycling behavior be reconsidered and reinvented by the City, to end reliance on “ticket sweeps,” and to find ways to incorporate regular and predictable enforcement of traffic safety laws for cyclists into standard daily enforcement in Manhattan, via safe and appropriate enforcement on vehicles similar to those being regulated; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five requests that DOT return at the end of Summer 2021 to update Community Board Five on the progress of the proposed changes and their effects on pedestrian, bicycle, and automotive traffic, as well as on surrounding properties and blocks, and to provide an update on their engagement with impacted community members.