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

A lack of good pedestrian infrastructure in Port Richmond makes walking to transit unsafe and unpleasant. Image: NYC DOT

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.

  • Anonymous

    The residents of those areas have it easy, at least they don’t have to look BOTH ways when crossing dangerous and out of control bike lanes, since they don’t have those either.

  • Niccolo Machiavelli

    Emmily makes an excellent point with the reverse cynicism angle.  Well played.  Lets see how much NIMBY opposition to good transportation policy there is among actual poor people.  Maybe the livable streets tendency should be lowering their sights with regards to social economy.  Organize the delivery guys, the poor people in the ultra outer boroughs.  Maybe they won’t cry when you try to improve their commute.

  • Is there any more info as to who this was presented to, or who it will go to next? I am really glad to see East NY get some much needed attention, but curb cuts and thermoplast seems WAY to tame. Is this DOT that boldly created pedestrian plazas in Times Square, or is it the same old standards of a decade ago? Atlantic Avenue’s elevated section is a monster that is impossible to cross. And other blocks are so long that people cross midblock. DOT’s really gotta overhaul the area with some clever designs to get people willing to take the extra steps to the actual intersections at Pennsylvania and Eastern Parkway Extension. Fingers crossed that DOT’s next round of plans is much, much more substantial.

  • What’s really striking in the photograph is the lack of street trees.  On a typical summer day, I wouldn’t want to wait outside here.

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