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Coax") IOT ce w/,,- Y.-'co,--r@-kv 0 1,.: -J, IF 11, g. Proposed Greenway .-Lxistinq -6-(12-od CoFdil" .Cjq__(tenv@a@_, ion Tmentoi 'Y@Y' Fall 1993 N e' w" Y o t k@.* AGreenwayPlan ForNewYorkCity David N. Dinkins, Mayor City of New York Richard L. Schaffer, Director New York Department of City Planning ISO Fall 1993 do NYC DCP 93-27 A jo@ t Wards Island Park Palhway "Imagine walking out your front door, getting on a bicycle... or simply donning your backpack, and, within minutes of your home, setting off along a continuous network of recreation corridors... ... President's Commission on Americans Outdoors US Department of Commerce NOAA Coastal Services Conter L-'hrary South Hobson Avenuo Charleston, SC 29405-2413 INTRODUCTION This report presents the city's vision for the nation's most ambitious urban greenway system -- 350 miles of landscaped bicycle and pedestrian paths crisscrossing New York City. It signals the start of a multi-year effort to create new public recreational opportunities, increase the mobility of cyclists, walkers, and joggers, and enrich the lives of all New Yorkers. New York City may seem the least likely large American city for a comprehensive system of transportation and recreation paths, 80 percent of which would be traffic-free routes separated from roadways. Yet, the physical rights-of- way for much of this system exist, virtually all are in public ownership, and many routes are developed and in use. Over the past 18 months, a preliminary planning framework for an integrated greenway system has been developed, thanks to the cooperative efforts of city, state and federal agencies, borough presidents' offices, and open space, pedestrian and bicycle constituency groups. Priority routes have been identified and funding has been secured to advance some of them. Now, the Department of City Planning and the New York City Department of Transportation are about to launch a comprehensive program to refine the preliminary plan, examine the feasibility of some of its components, an d begin its implementation. The plan builds on New York's substantial legacy of greenways, which were part of every era of open space development in the city. Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of Central and Prospect parks, was the first to design a "park way" for scenic carriage drives and bicycles in the late 19th century pre-automotive era. Olmsted planned Eastern and Ocean parkways as boulevards linking the great new urban greenspace of Brooklyn's Prospect Park with its surrounding communities and the beaches and regional open spaces beyond. In the 1930s, Robert Moses vastly expanded the park system, particularly along the waterfront where miles of pedestrian paths and esplanades were built in new parks, notably Riverside Park and East River Park. Moses also built bicycle paths along many roadways, such as Shore Parkway, to satisfy the "groups, organizations and individuals ... clamoring and petitioning for bicycle A tracks ... exclusive lanes ... and use of roadways during hours when automobile traffic is very light, all for the accommodation of this revived sport." An alternative transportation option was an extra dividend during the war years when gasoline was rationed. 7 Roosevelt Island Esplanade In the 1980s, the Neighborhood Open Space Coalition saw an opportunity to develop a 40-mile Brooklyn-Queens Greenway for walkers and cyclists. Their detailed plan would connect Brooklyn's Coney Island with Fort Totten in Queens, using Ocean and Eastern parkways and a series of 12 parks along the way. Most recently, the city's Comprehensive Waterfront Plan proposes to expand public use and enjoyment of the waterfront with a series of interconnected pathways in all five boroughs. The plan capitalizes on the city's vast system of public parkland that covers more than 40 percent of its shoreline; it also recommends zoning changes that would mandate publicly accessible waterfront paths and upland connections in most new residential and commercial developments on the waterfront.' In New York City today, the time is once again ripe for a new surge of greenway development to form an integrated system reaching into all corners of the city. Greenways answer the growing public demand for safe and pleasant ways to travel about the city -- to get to work or school, to shop or do errands, or to reach the waterfront, parks, beaches and museums. New federal transportation policy and funding programs recognize their role in helping to alleviate traffic congestion and air pollution and, at the same time, accommodate burgeoning recreational interests. A first-class system of greenway trails can bring a new dimension to life outdoors in New York City. The Waterfront Zoning Text Amendment was approved by the City Planning Commission in August 1993 and presently awaits City Council review. 2 THE VISION: What Are Greenways and Why Are They Important? New York City's greenways would be a system of bicycle-pedestrian pathways along natural and manmade linear spaces such as rail and highway rights-of-way, river corridors, waterfront spaces, parklands and, where necessary, city streets. They are at once the parks for the 21st century and a part of the transportation infrastructure, providing for pleasant, efficient, healthful and environmentally- sound travel by foot, bicycle or skates. Greenways and trails are ideally suited to the flat, compact urban environment of New York City. They will be mostly hard-surface paths, paved with asphalt or concrete, although some locations may require a more natural material such as crushed limestone or a wooden walkway to protect fragile ecosystems. The system is envisioned to accommodate the broad array of non-motorized users: cyclists, joggers, strollers, people in wheelchairs, dog walkers, skaters, and bird watchers. Because the narrowness of some greenway routes may limit bicycle use, the system will complement and connect with on-street bicycle routes and the city's sidewalks to ensure continuity for all users. Bridge and ferry water crossings will be significant parts of the greenway system, offering exhilarating views, interborough connections, and access to regional routes. Connections to Long Island, New Jersey, upstate New York, and Connecticut would allow city residents to bike or hike to regional recreation resources such as Jones Beach, Bear Mountain, and Liberty State Park. Residents of nearby suburbs and cities would also have an alternate and pleasant way to reach New York City's wealth of cultural resources. The system will include parts of two long-distance trails: the Hudson River Greenway, connecting New York City to Albany and Montreal; and the East Coast Greenway, linking cities along the east coast from Maine to Florida. Greenways can serve a host of functions providing health, recreation, transportation, and community development benefits. 0 New open spaces reaching throughout the city, close to people's homes and work places, would allow them to explore the city's surprisingly diverse natural environment and to enjoy the intense urban character of its built environment: its dramatic skylines, graceful architecture, handsomely designed parks, and sleek bridges; and the cultural richness of its ethnic neighborhoods. 0 Offering many of the same recreational benefits as wilderness trails, the city's greenways would be a place to enjoy the sun, the breeze, or waterfront views; and to exercise, relax, and experience nature. By contributing to physical fitness, greenways can offer New Yorkers important health benefits. 3 0 Trails will expand transportation options by offering a more flexible and environmentally sound means of travel to work or other destinations. In areas now underserved by public transportation, people will be able to bike to the subway, commuter train, or ferry, enhancing mobility and increasing use of the mass transit system. 0 As use of these trails increases, they can help to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. Traffic-free corridors will encourage more people to cycle by offering the less experienced or adventurous a safer and more appealing place to cycle than city streets. 0 Greenways can be natural buffers between different land uses, separating residential and commercial areas, or highways and residential neighborhoods. 0 Where they provide significant green mass, greenways can help to sustain the biological diversity of plant and animal habitats; their trees and vegetation can refresh the air and even filter runoff into streams and rivers. 0 Trails can offer modest economic benefits, raising the value of property adjacent to once idle land, and spurring small private enterprises including bicycle repair and rental shops, food establishments, and other services. 0 Connecting neighborhood to neighborhood, borough to borough, and city to suburb, these linear commons can offer a new kind of public place, bringing together the young and old, rich and poor, and people from diverse cultural backgrounds. 4 THE REALITY: New York City's Greenways Today The maps that follow show the current status of the greenway system in each borough -- the sections that are in good or useable condition, those that need substantial improvement, and those proposed for development. Seventeen percent (59 miles) of the 350-mile proposed system of greenways already exists in good or useable condition. This includes such well used routes as bike and jogging lanes along the Central Park and Prospect Park drives, the Shore Parkway in Bay Ridge, the Brooklyn and Queensboro, bridges, the East River esplanade, Battery Park City, Flushing Meadow Park, the Cross Island Parkway, and the North Bronx Bikeway (Mosholu/Pelham Greenway), as well as the Staten Island Ferry crossing. Another 31 percent (106 miles) are public pathways in need of substantial improvement. This includes the extensive bikeways that once existed along the city's parkways like the Hutchinson Parkway, but which have deteriorated over the years; bridge pathways including those on the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges; and park paths like parts of the Riverside Park system. Some sections are marginally useable, such as portions of the Shore Parkway bikepath east of Knapp Street, while others are entirely impassable. About half the system, 52 percent or 183 miles, is in the proposal stage. Some of the proposed routes are already programmed for development, such as the path to be built as part of Route 9A in Manhattan. Some are clearly delineated corridors such as the Putnam rail line in the Bronx. Others are important missing links in the system, such as the South Shore Greenway in Staten Island. These schematic routes will require further study to determine their feasibility and precise location, and may require extensive on-street segments. Both the existing and proposed greenway routes take advantage of a variety of spaces: 0 Green areas along parkways and highways: The remnants of miles of bikeways, created during the 1930s, still exist along the city's green parkways. Some are in use and many can be restored easily. In some areas, however, road widenings and new overpasses or exit ramps present problems. Newer interstate highways like the South Shore Expressway in Staten Island also offer potential corridors for multi-use paths. 0 Abandoned rail corridors present a special opportunity for trail use. In the Bronx, the Putnam rail line has been proposed for acquisition and trail development, and the North Shore line in Staten Island is a candidate for trail use in conjunction with reactivated rail use. 5 � Waterfront public access areas are yet another excellent greenway opportunity. Much of the city's 578-mile waterfront is already publicly- accessible and more is likely to become so as a result of the new waterfront zoning regulations. The Hudson River corridor in Manhattan and the Queens East River waterfront are examples of the potential for creating continuous linear access by connecting esplanades in public parks with those in private developments. � Most public parkland already serves pedestrians on a complex network of footpaths. However, careful planning is needed to enable bikers and roller bladers to be accommodated without posing a hazard to other users or to the fragile natural landscape. The master plan for the Staten Island Greenbelt, for example, proposes a bikeway adjacent to the road system in order to avoid intruding on the park's natural environment. � Bridges and ferries should allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the waterways that divide the city. Most of the city's older bridges incorporate pedestrian walkways (some in poor condition), but several of the more recently built bridges do not, notably the Verrazano, Whitestone, and Throgs Neck bridges. The Staten Island Ferry is one of the city's most important greenway elements, transporting over 75,000 cyclists a year. As the city's ferry system grows, so will the bikeway network. � Some city streets will also be part of the greenway system, since they are the only means of connection in some areas. Initially, cyclists will rely heavily on street connections; even in the long run, 20 percent of the system will be on streets and sidewalks. V Ndl, x4il- 4" JQ@ North Shore Staten Island Railroad Corridor 6 t N A North Brooklyn Queens 10 10, Greenway New 10 Jersey Water Crossings 5 1. Marine Parkway Bridge @ 2. Verrazano Bridge 1,00 3. Brooklyn Bridge N All 0 4. Manhattan Bridge Brooklyn Waterfront Trail 4., 5. Williamsburg Bridge A 4, Olmsted wy\Bikeway -4- Upper ew York -0 ip 6 N (under c - I I "'A Bay onstructionjl CConcluit Blvd. West Brooklyn,@'@ Connector Brooklyff- Queens Greenway' J e 0# Greenway 14 < Shore Parkway Greenway IN. gunset Park Connector X, ssl **401 1@2cr@@.S". oklyn' -0@enway Brooklyn Queens reenway G A Staten Wa 2 Jamaica Island Rocka Bay . . ......... 1P .............. 4writirs Lower New York Q Bay Shore Par ay Coney Island Greenway Boardwalk (pedestrians only) Atlantic Ocean Fall 1993 1 0 1 MILE Brooklyn Greenways: Existing and Proposed Existing Greenway in Good Condition Park Existing Greenway Needing Improvement Proposed Greenway Water Crossings Greenway Plan for New York City NYC Department of City Planning G 8 tN f Ives VA 4. OD 24ti@' -Z W coil, AJ& C7 A 4@1 14,1,glon "T ec. RX Pe ualwa.- .; N�N, c z 4! 04 Z. C. Z. T t Ei1 L) 6 > -CO tioundview . .... Long + Greenway Island Sound 4Z, X, . 0 ..Z *40, Iq e wcz @ _4 Water Crossings 1. City Island B6dge 9. Madison Avenue Bridge 2. Henry Hudson Bridge 10. Third Avenue Bridge 3. Broadway Bridge 11. Willis Avenue Bridge 4. University Heights Bridge 12. Triborough Bridge S. Washington Bridge 13. Ward's Island Footbridge QueDns 14. Randall's Island Bridge 6. High Bridge 7. Macombs Dam Bridge 15. Whitestone Bridge Fall 1993 8. 145th Street Bridge 0 1 MILE L The Bronx Greenways: Existing and Proposed Existing Greenway in Useable Condition Park Existing Greenway Needing Improvement Proposed Greenway Wa ter Crossings 0' Greenway Plan for New York City NYC Department of City Planning 7 eas t 2 f# OpJeens-East River% Greenway #1 0ABrooklyn - a ns 4 .,Greenw clueen!@ :XA. 5 4L, Ghbe may, (:@o F ueens Urooklyn,;,.. 4R kkk-W Ore,enwayell <S, Laurefton Parkway "Jamai 93 - Greenway Forest Pa'., 0 Greenway', Beft::P,arkway Brooklyn - Quee ms 10 Greenway Greenway A) N 1so X. 'COO 0 494.11 Water Crossings Conduit Boulevard ector. 1. Whitestone Bridge Conn 2. Triborough Bridge JFK 6 3. Roosevelt Island Bridge Greenway 4. Roosevelt Island Tram k 5. Queensboro Bridge Nassau 6. Cross Bay Bridge _X? County 7. Marine Parkway Bridge N, N Jamaica 'e, -X I Sri Brooklyn C 411 W Rockaway - Gateway,.-' 'Greenway. V- Rockaway Boardwalk (pedestrians only) ONE= 1 MILE FaII1993 Queens Greenways: Existing and Proposed Existing Greenway in Good Condition Park Existing Greenway Needing Improvement Proposed Greenway Water Crossings Greenway Plan for New York City / NYC Department of City Planning 10 tN Water Crossings A. 1George Washington Bridge 2Henry Hudson Bridge 3Broadway Bridge 4 4. University Heights Bridge 5*Wastiington Bridge 6. High Bridge 7Macornbs Darn Bridge 8145th St. Bridge 4. JI 5 9* Madison Ave. Bridge - The 10. Third Ave. Bridge 11. Willis Ave. Bridge 6 Bronx 12Tnborough Bridge 13 Randall's Island Bridge 14. Wards Is" Footbridge 7 15. Roosevelt Island Bridge 16. Roosevelt Island Tram 7. Ousensboro, Bridge 8 1 18. Williarnsburg Bridge 19*Manhattan Bridge 20. Brooklyn Bridge 40 21. Staten Island Ferry 0) 10 22. Hoboken Ferry 23. Weehawken Ferry (Lincoln Harbor) 24. Weehawken Ferry East River (Port Imperial) 5j 25. Liberty State Park Ferry Z@ W r N., e# 46 Y,%4 40, LLJ 'of Queens Brooklyn" Fall 1993 0 1 MILE Manhattan Greenways: Existing and Proposed Existing Greenway in Good Condition Park G-- Existing Greenway Needing Improvement 2111111111 Proposed Greenway Water Crossings Greenway Plan for New York City / NYC Department of City Planning 9 REALIZING THE VISION: The Work Ahead Although many of the greenways are already in place or easily implemented, it will take at least ten years to complete this system. A range of issues must be resolved, design standards must be developed, precise routes must be determined, and funding must be secured to complete the system first the priority routes and then the remaining linkages. Fortunately, greenways have been an integral element of the Department's open space, transportation and waterfront planning program for some time. Most important, the trails/greenway agenda was given a tremendous boost in 1991 with enactment of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Xct (ISTEA). The program establishes a new federal transportation policy that acknowledges cycling and walking as fundamental elements of the transportation system, and it provides substantial funding for trails, bikeways, pedestrian facilities and rail-trail conversions. In response to the federal initiative, the New York State Department of Transportation established the Metro New York Bikeway-Walkway Working Group in early 1992 to develop a comprehensive bicycle and walking plan. With broad participation by public agencies and interest groups, the committee established consensus on a preliminary greenway plan which has enabled the city to seek ISTEA funding for greenway planning and development. In August 1993, $1 million in ISTEA funding was authorized for a Bike Network Program to be jointly administered by the Department of City Planning and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT). Over the coming few years, City Planning will use its share of the funding to further define the greenway system including: refining the system of traffic-free bicycle routes; completing a detailed study of at least one major route; developing a model map and user guide; and designing a signage system to expand public awareness and use. The Department will work toward linking the greenways with the on-street bicycle routes and pedestrian facilities being planned and implemented by the Department of Transportation. DOT will use its ISTEA funding to: develop and begin to implement the comprehensive on-road route system, including striping and signing designated routes; establish a regular maintenance program for bike routes; develop a public awareness program including safety information, posters and media coverage; expand its bicycle count program to provide more and better information on cycling activity and to document use of new routes as they come on line; revitalize the bicycle advisory committee; and undertake bicycle support programs such as placing bike racks and lockers at strategic locations. 12 tN "I Now I UpWrk Jersey /New , Newark Bay Staten Island Bay Railroad Trail Water Crossings 44 (9) ........... 1. Verrazano Narrows Bridge North Sh 2. Outerbridge Crossing ore Greenway 3. Goethals Bridge 4. Bayonne Bridge .1111011169 slogs 5. Staten Island Ferry Will rook ..... ..... No Isl ) k -. --/@Blrooklyn Bikeway, West Shore x X" G e ay Greenway 1 k%s New (D Jersey A Greenbeltf ale ".4 .-N Loop Ar" lie 1K ........... 4b -X South Shore t Greenway West Shore Greenwa@y.,, Richmond Parkway .4 Greenway 44, XXXXX .. ......... 141; Lower New York .... Bay IF 7 Wolfe's Pond Park Connector @X ...... South Shore Greenway Raritan I/ Fall 1993 Bay 0 1 MILE Staten Island Greenways: Existing and Proposed Existing Greenway in Good Condition .... Park Existing Greenway Needing Improvement Proposed Greenway (D Water Crossings Greenway Plan for New York City/ NYC Department of City Planning 11 Aqueduct University Greenwa ........ mosholu Greenway X, Water Crossings .......... 1. George Washington Bridge ............................ 2 Henry Hudson Bridge . ..... ... n 3 Broadway Bridge Woodlaw qsaton F alls 4. University Heights Bridge Huds Ri or Greenway 5. Washington Bridge Gre nw .... .......... 6. High Bridge 7. Macombs Dam Bridge Gr 8.145th St. Bridge ano L;oncoyrse The I Aquedual t GGree . . I...... ...... 9. Madison Ave. Bridge Bronx 10. Third Avenue Bridge G-y. ........... 11. Willis Avenue Bridge utchi 0 ... 6 i,ns nj 12. Thlborough Bridge or -yl*- and ..: Parkwayj 13. Randall's Island Bridge Harleni Ai- T,.i 14. Whilestone Bridge Trail 16. Wards Island Footbridge 3 17. Roosevelt Island Tram and Bridge 18. Clueensboro Bridge . .. . .. . r............. 19. Williamsburg Bridge NO 6 20. Manhattan Bridge 21. Brooklyn Bridge 4* .... ....... 22. Cross Bay Bridge ... ..... ueens- X.. North Shore 23. Marine Parkway Bridge Oueensj 'ver -T, Greenway It- Gr;eenway 24. Verrazano Bridge 25. Cluterbridge Crossing X 26. Goethals Bridge ou Gree`?Wo 27. Bayonne Bridge 28. Hoboken Ferry 29. Weehawken Ferry BrooklynIQueens, (Lincoln Harbor) Greenway __j 0 30. Weehawken Ferry Ousens (Pori Imperial) 21 31. Liberty State Park Ferry amaica Bay/ Parkway Greenway Olmsted Fwesl Park ........... Bilieway :Conduit Blvd. Groonway Connector ...... PalkWalt Gfe Shore fea .7. K Railroad reenway X_. Shore Parkway _@,:nway -Brooklyn - Queens Staten Island, Greenway x.". .......... 2 .......... . ...... Willowbrook ;r ross Bikeway Sunset Park Brooklyn X:. j:X.: N :X: Connector Sla n ...... .. ..... Island hore a, d n.ay_,0 S ...... ........ we .. .... I.,:.nw.y ........ Green OP G .... ... X: Loop FUchmond ..... ........ . .. .... .. ..... .............. ... ........ ........ .......... Parkway ..... . .. .. .... . Gri Denway ............. . . ...... ................... ......... ......... ....... ........ .......... ............ .......... .... ....... x . ... .. a .. ......... .. .. .... ....... ....... ...... .............. ..... .. ... ......... X. -::-:: -.... . .............. .. .. ................ .................. ........... ....... . ....... ............ .......... . ........... ............ . ............ ............ ......... . . .. .......... .. ...... .... ............................. . ............. W ..... ........ .......... .................. .......... .. . ................. .......... .. ..... . ... ......... X. ........ ...:.. .... ...... .. ........ ... ............... ........... ........ ... ..................... ....... . ... ... ..... ....... ............................. X - : : : : . ....... ..... ....... . ...... ......... ... ................. ............. . . . ............ .. ........................ .................. ....... ............. .. .... - ...... .... . ...... ............... .. .............. ........ ....... ............... ...... ...................... ....... .. .................. ... ............ .................................. .............. .......... .......... ...... ............... . ........ ... ......... . .. ......... .. ............... .......... . ... . ..... ........... ........ ... .. .. ........ ......... ..... ...... .. ............ :: ... I . . . .. .. .............. X . . . ..... X .... ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ........ Schematic Greenway Plan Priority Routes Priority Greenway Routes Water Crossing Other Potential Greenway Routes ......... Borough Boundary GREENWAY PLAN FOR NEW YORK CITY I NYC Department of City Planning 14 In addition, 11 separate projects have been endorsed by the New York City Transportation Coordinating Committee (NYCTCC) for $3.9 million in ISTEA Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding. Approved projects include major portions of the Hudson and East River systems in Manhattan, the Putnam Rail and Hudson River corridors in the Bronx, the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway and Shore Parkway in Brooklyn and Queens; and the Staten Island Railroad Trail in Staten Island. Other means of implementing the priority routes described below include state and city capital funds, which are contributing to completion of portions of the Harlem Beach esplanade and the Shore Parkway bikepath. Greenway segments can also be implemented as part of park renovation projects, such as Soundview Park in the Bronx, or in conjunction with highway or bridge projects, such as the rebuilding of Route 9A and rehabilitation of the Williamsburg and Manhattan bridges. Private development along the waterfront will also provide important links in the system. As part of the greenway planning agenda, the following operating constraints and issues must be addressed if the system is to function successfully. 0 Space limitations and conflicts among the various users. A growing range and number of trail users must often fit into very narrow corridors. Clear rules of public behavior must be established to ensure safety, and standards must be established to guide the design of these paths. For example, a multi-use path should be at least twelve feet wide for two-way traffic. In areas where heavy use is anticipated, it may be desirable to separate pedestrians from cyclists and other wheeled users by creating completely discrete paths. Where the space is not sufficient to safely accommodate all users, faster wheeled users may have to be diverted to a secondary route nearby, perhaps an on-street alternative. This may be necessary along portions of the waterfront with limited space between the shore and existing structures, highways, or rail lines. 0 The problems posed by a built-up city. In some areas where streets may be the only alternative for a bikeway alignment, there are likely to be conflicts with automotive uses; for example, in industrial areas where streets are vital for moving goods by truck. 0 Maintenance and management. Resources must be identified to pay for the operation of this new recreation/transportation infrastructure and to make the spaces secure from crime. Management arrangements need to be structured in ways that recognize the variety of jurisdictions traversed by the greenways. 13 Staten Island Railroad Trail A key segment of the East Coast Greenway, the trail could extend from the St. George Ferry Terminal (and the Staten Island Rapid Transit line which runs south to Tottenville) to the pedestrian path on the Goethals Bridge to New Jersey, with a spur to Travis. The city is currently seeking to acquire the line for freight and/or commuter use. The NYCTCC has given preliminary approval to ISTEA funds for a design investigation of interim trail use of the line and a trail with rail, if rail use is restored. The outstanding features of this route are its marvelous vistas of New York Harbor and the Lower Manhattan skyline, and its proximity to the working waterfront along the Arthur Kill, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, and the Harbor Herons wetlands containing significant coastal fish and wildlife habitats. Putnam Railroad Trail This abandoned rail line in the northwest Bronx would connect to a system in place or under construction in Westchester and might also link south to Manhattan across the Harlem River, providing the best north-south cycle route in the Bronx. Subway connections could make it a good intermodal route, potentially attracting people who now drive to Manhattan or to Westchester. Mosholu-Petham Greenway (North Bronx Bikeway) This established greenway runs east-west through the middle of the Bronx; it originated in the late 1930s and was reconstructed in the 1970s as a bike-to-transit route with signage and bike lock-ups at rail stations. The route links Pelham Bay Park and Orchard Beach on the east with Van Cortlandt Park on the west, with access to Bronx Park, the Bronx Zoo and Botanic Garden, and many institutions, subway and Metro North stations along the way. The route has considerable intermodal potential. Hutchinson River Parkway Trail (Northern Section) A deteriorated bikepath runs along the length of the Hutchinson Parkway from the Whitestone Bridge to the county line. Its continuity is interrupted in several places by new exit ramps or overpasses. The section north of Pelham Parkway could become the chief link with the East Coast Greenway north of the city if Connecticut establishes a pathway along the Merritt Parkway corridor. 16 Priority Routes A number of routes have been identified as priorities for early action, based on the criteria below. � Potential for completing a system now substantially in place, or part of a long-distance trail. � Corridors with roadway congestion or air quality problems where moving people from cars and taxis to bicycles or walking could make a significant difference. � Potential for a high volume of use because of proximity to major employment, cultural or educational centers, or to regional parks. 0 Geographic balance throughout the city. � Relatively low cost to establish (e.g., acquisition not required), or the cost-to-use ratio is relatively low. The Hudson River Greenway Trail This route can become a key north-south commuter route, paralleling dense residential areas and offering some of the city's most dramatic scenery. Planning for Route 9A from Battery Place to 59th Street includes separate bicycle and pedestrian paths; an interim bikeway-walkway is presently being developed by the Hudson River Park Conservancy. The Route 9A segment will ultimately connect with waterside paths through the Riverside South development and the parks extending to the northern tip of Manhattan. With connections to the Bronx and Staten Island, the route will link with the planned Hudson River Valley Greenway from Westchester to Albany. It would also be part of the East Coast Greenway linking cities along the coast. East River Esplanade Like the Hudson River corridor, this route has strong potential for a high level of commuter and recreational use. It has wonderful scenic views and could be an alternate leg of the East Coast Greenway. Portions have existed for half a century at East River and Carl Schurz parks, and most of the esplanade between 63rd and 125th streets was built or rebuilt in the 1980s, funded by new development projects on the east side of Manhattan. Completion of the sections south of 63rd street are a priority. Planning and design is under way for Harlem Beach which will contain bicycle and pedestrian paths along the Harlem River from 125th to 145th streets. At Macombs Dam Bridge, users would cross to the proposed Harlem River path in the Bronx to continue northward. 15 ACKNOWLEDGEMIENTS The De,'irtment of City Planning is grateful for the invaluable contributions made by members of the Metro N York Bikeway-Walkway Working Group, established in February 1992 by the New York State D artment of Transportation, Special recognition is extended to Ivan Vamos, Deputy Commiss uner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, who served as committee chairman until June 1993. The planning framework presented in this report emerged Norn months of work by committee members representing the following agencies and organizatio is. Bicycle Tray.sportation Action NYC Department of Transportation Bronx Boro igh President's Office NYC Economic Develop mentCorporation Brooklyn B,)rough President's Office New York Metropolitan Transportation Federal Tri risit Agency Council Hudson Ri er Valley Greenway New York-New Jersey Trails Conference Heritage /Conservancy NYS Department of Transportation Manhattai Borough President's Office NYS Office of Parks, Recreation Metropoli n Greenways Council and Historic Preservation National I irk Service Parks*Council Neighborh od Open Space Coalition Public Space for Public Life NYC Depa -tment of City Planning Queens Borough President's Office NYC Depa -tment of Environmental Riverside Park Fund Protectior Staten Island Borough President's Office NYC Dep irtment of Parks and Recreation Transportation Alternatives Trust for Public Land DEPAW MN I OF CITY PLANNING Richard Schaffer, Director Sandy I )rnick, Deputy Executive Director, Strategic Planning Barbara Weisberg, Assistant Executive Director, Planning Coordination Wilbur Woods, Director, Waterfront and Open Space Division Karen ' otava, Project Director Sheila' fetcalf, Map Production James ) fcConnell, Map Consultant Debra irumet, Adrienne Taub, Interns Floyd app, Director, Transportation Division Ismail Chan, Transportation Planner Tho= Angotti, Brooklyn Office Ray C rran, Bronx Office Lucy I axter, Word Processor Eustac Pilgrim, Cover Design Anton Mendez, Deputy Director of Operations US Departlrne,_nt of Commerce ____ t_1 - --- '-, C--t= Library XOAA Coast @1 2234 coo, -1-_` Charles- tc--2, L_ 3 Shore Parkway Bikeway and Rockaway-Gateway Greenway The Shore Parkway is presently the city's best traffic-free multi-use path. The Bay Ridge section is in relatively good condition and heavily used, but a gap from Bay Parkway to Knapp Street needs to be closed. State and city funds are programmed to upgrade the area extending east to Cross Bay Boulevard. It could then connect with the Rockaway-Gateway Greenway, which even in its current deteriorated and interrupted state gets fairly heavy use because it accesses the Rockaway beaches, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and Floyd Bennett Field. The National Park Service and the Friends of Gateway will collaborate on a preliminary plan for the Rockaway route. Brooklyn-Queens Greenway The Brooklyn-Queens Greenway proposed in the eighties would link Eastern and Ocean parkways with parks in Brooklyn and Queens. Much of the route exists but several gaps make passage very difficult between Brooklyn and Queens. The route passes a myriad of cultural institutions, including the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Shea Stadium and many of the city's finest parks. A Sunset Park connector would lead to the Shore Parkway route, and a spur through Red Hook would lead to the redeveloping Brooklyn piers and the Brooklyn Bridge. Trail blazing signage for the Greenway has been funded by the respective Borough Presidents' offices. Queens East River Greenway The planned Queens West mixed use development in Hunters Point, other development projects and extensive public parkland will make it possible to have a continuous pathway along this waterfront corridor. Offering tourist potential, the route could connect to Manhattan via the East River bridges and the Roosevelt Island Tram. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge/North and South Shore Greenways Although a footpath was part of the original bridge design, it was never built when the bridge opened and ferry service ended in the early 1960s. If feasible, a Verrazano-Narrows Bridge pedestrian/bike path would provide a connection between recreation and work destinations in Brooklyn and Staten Island. The city has requested ISTEA funding to assess the feasibility and costs of establishing a dual bike-pedestrian path on the bridge. Upgrading and completing the Staten Island North Shore esplanade and the South Shore bicycle route would increase travel options for bridge users. 17 paths enhance the social life of the City by drawing together friends and neighbors, as well as visitors to the City. To Implement the greenway system, the Department of City Planning will collaborate with other City agencies such as the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Transportation, as well as elected officials, conununity boards and civic groups. Development of the Greenway Plan was coordinated by Karen.Votava, Director of Open Space Planning, and Floyd Lapp, Director of Transportation Planning. Questions about the plan may be directed to Karen Votava, Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York 10007, (212) 720-3629. Copies of the report can be ordered at $3.00 each from the City Planning Bookstore, 22 Reade Street, New York 10007, (212) 720-3667. Richard L. Schaffer, Director of the City Planning Department said, "The Greenway Plan responds to a heightened public interest in such healthful activities as cycling, skating, running and walking. Greenways offer new recreational opportunities, and an alternative way for people to move about the City, one which is non-polluting and does not add to traffic congestion. We want to expand travel options for residents, as well as tourists, by making It possible to safely and pleasantly journey by bicycle or on foot throughout the City. The weekday trip to work, or the weekend trip to the beach, park or museum can become an enjoyable and healthy activity and, at the same time can contribute to the quality of the environment." The City has received $1 million In federal transportation funds for further planning and to begin implementation of the greenway system and a complementary on- street bicycle system. In addition, $3.9 million of federal -dollars have been approved to plan and build ten segments of the greenway system, including: major portions of the East River and Hudson River greenways in Manhattan; the Putnam Railroad Trail in the Bronx; the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway and Shore Parkway Bikepath In Brooklyn and Queens; the Staten Island Railroad Trail along the borough's north Shore; and the Verrazano Bridge Bikepath. Funds to develop a citywide greenway signage system have also been allocated. The creation of a greenway system is a major step in the evolution of the City's commitment to open space, recreation and a "green" environment. Greenways serve as important public spaces, close to where people live and work. They serve a wide range of purposes: strolling, dog-walking, bird-watching, jogging, cycling, skating, fishing, fresh air and relaxation. Acting as magnets for social Interaction, these recreation Planning News NEW YORK CITY PLANNING COMMMON 22 Reade Street, Now Yolk, NY 10007AXne of PubAcAffairs (212) 720-3503 For Immediate Release: Contact: Lonnie Soury Tuesday, October 19, 1993 (212) 720-3503 CITY PLANNING ANNOUNCES CITYWIDE GREENWAY PLAN The Department of City Planning today released a "Greenway Plan For New York City," a proposal for the nation's first comprehensive urban greenway network -- a system of 350 miles of bicycle and pedestrian pathways throughout New York City. Building on 59 miles of existing bikepaths, trails and waterfront esplanades, such as the Shore Parkway Bikepath in Brooklyn, this plan sets an ambitious goal of completing this fragmented trail system by adding miles of scenic waterfront esplanades, converted rail-beds, and pathways through parks and along parkways. The plan released today Is the first step in the Department's multi-year greenway planning and implementation program. Mayor David N. Dinkins, announcing the Greenway Plan in a speech on Sunday while dedicating the Hudson River Bikepath, said, "We'll build new bike paths all over our City -- Including a five and a half mile path along this very street, West Street; a new path along the Hudson, between 72nd Street and the George Washington Bridge; a path through the Bronx to Westchester County, completing New York's portion of the Hudson River Greenway Trail to Albany; and, 350 miles of trails and bikeway s funded through the federal Greenway program." city 1b Aqueduct - Long univer Mosholu - PelhaJ Green:,@,, Island Greenway Sound Water Crossings Detail 1. George Washington Brridge 3 1z, Mosholu - Pelham Greenway 2 Henry Hudson Bridge 3 Broadway Bridge Woo flawn- 4. University Heights Bridge Salon Falls 5. Washington Bridge Hudson River Greenway Greenway 6. High Bridge 7. Macombs Dam Bridge Grand @n %rse 8.145th St. Bridge Or OD , The 9. Madison Ave. Bridge Gre -Th UN-0y Bronx 10. Third Avenue Bridge Grwy. a eat 1. Willis Avenue Bridge 6 ch!'nso I sland Greenway 12. Triborough Bridge uiRi, r 13. Randall's Island Bridge 7 Parkway@ 14. Whitestone Bridge C, Harlem Ri-, rail TIWI 16. Wards Island Footbridge Z18011 Soun vie 17. R osevelt island Tram and Bridge 3 b j 18. Cloueensboro Bridge .. .. . .. . Bronx River Ong Gres 19. Williamsburg Bridge any n 20. Manhattan Bridge 6 2 21. Brooklyn Bridge Ouse a- 22. Cross Bay Bridge V 23. Marine Parkway Bridge Quee4nIwE. R' er No h Shore Greenway, 24. Verrazano Bridge Gre y 25. Cuterbridge Crossing 26. Goethals Bridge 011 11 Or 27. Bayonne Bridge 28. Hoboken Ferry 29. Weehawken Ferry Broolklyn/Cueens (Lincoln Harbor) 13DO - Gre nway 30. Weehawken Ferry Uj 4 Queens (Port Imperial) (31 21' 9 31. Liberty State Park Ferry # Laurellon a Bay/ Parkway Jamaic Greenway Olmsted Forest Park Bikeway '%Conduit Blvd. Greenay rooklyn onnector Staten Island (2j aterfro Shore Parkwav Gre, Railroad Trail Brooklyn - Que ns -",IJFK Greenway If (2-6) TraZ@@ hore Parkwa foms%oj@eenway Greenway ross Blo willo rook Bikeway A Sunset Park Brooklyn Connector Staten Island North Island Q> We" Shore Greenway, Rockaway- G r nwa, ateway, a Greenwa Greenbelt reenway Richm n P P r a Or n a Brooklyn - Queens Greenway Rockaway - Gateway IWO Grwy.) Greenway, C5 Atlantic Ocean Lower New York Wolfe's Pond Bay Park Connector N 5 MILES Fall 1993 Schematic Greenway Plan priority greenway route .......... borough boundary other potential greenway routes water crossing tall (3 @4 E G, 7, 8, He, 0 GREENWAY PLAN FOR NEW YORK CITY NYC Department of City Planning NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY 3 6668 14111508 1