New York’s Department of Transportation plans to double the width of a Staten Island street to accommodate more vehicular traffic.
New York City officials plan to double the width of a street in Staten Island in a bid to reduce congestion, but mobility advocates say the plan will take away pedestrian space, make the street more dangerous for people with disabilities, and induce more traffic.
As Kevin Duggan explains in Streetsblog NYC, “The $24-million reconstruction of Amboy Road, covering less than a half-mile between Richmond and Armstrong avenues in Eltingville, will double the street's width from 40 feet to 80 feet to expand it from one lane each way to two, according to Department of Transportation plans dating back a decade.”
According to NYCDOT, “The plans would not only widen Amboy Road, but also also install a raised median and enhanced pedestrian crossings at intersections, which officials say would create a ‘Town Center’ environment.”
The project plan does not specify any improvements to transit along the corridor. “The project is being undertaken by DOT and the Department of Design and Construction, and it is set to start construction next spring. The DOT declined to respond to repeated questions about this project, but DDC spokesperson Ian Michaels said the project is still undergoing a final design.”
FULL STORY: Vision? Zero! City Will Widen Staten Island Roadway to Appease Drivers
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The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Ascent Environmental
Borough of Carlisle
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service