Ped Improvements Will Ease Transit Access in East New York, Port Richmond

In two low-income neighborhoods, DOT is planning to make it easier and safer for residents to reach transit. In East New York [PDF] and Port Richmond [PDF], features like curb extensions, new sidewalks, and improved pedestrian ramps will be installed by next year.

While both neighborhoods have rich transit options -- that section of East New York is served by the A, C, J, Z, and L trains and the Long Island Railroad, while Port Richmond has some of Staten Island's best bus service -- non-existent or inadequate sidewalks and a lack of lighting make it unpleasant or unsafe to walk to transit.

DOT is eyeing improvements at ten target locations in Port Richmond and seven in East New York, with particular emphasis on Richmond Terrace and Atlantic Avenue. So far, the plans are very preliminary; the public meetings held in May were the first for each project, and no specific improvements have been planned yet. In each case, though, DOT says it will have completed the project by the end of next March.

Both projects are funded by the federal New Freedom program, which aims to make public transportation more accessible to people with disabilities.